


Foolish Games

by Belle_Dissei



Category: Glee
Genre: M/M, Puckurt Big Bang
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-06
Updated: 2012-06-06
Packaged: 2017-11-07 02:37:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 36,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/425959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Belle_Dissei/pseuds/Belle_Dissei
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For Kurt the plan had been simple, temp as a PA for a year or so then head off to College with some real life experience and some change in his back pocket. But things rarely go according to plan and Kurt certainly didn’t count on falling for his boss, a man who changes sexual partners more often than he changes his shirt. </p>
<p>If there’s one thing that Kurt never thought he’d be asked to do its find Puck a wife. </p>
<p>Fast approaching his thirtieth birthday, Noah Puckerman is successful, rich and able to get anything or anyone he wants except the one thing that matters, Kurt. There are some lines that even Puck wont cross. Kurt’s more than just an assistant, he’s Puck’s nineteen year old assistant who practically runs his life. </p>
<p>Being outed by the media is never easy but Puck had never imagined it would be like this. Now not only does he have to deal with being followed by paparazzi creeps like Jacob Ben Israel but his mom is breathing down his neck to settle down too. Not having a clue where to start Puck does what he always does, turns to Kurt for help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Foolish Games

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to iamaslashaddict for the amazing art!
> 
> For some reason I can't get the dividers to show up in internet explorer but they do in firefox.... if possible please read it in firefox so you can see all of the gorgeous art.

 

  


  


 

 

 

“You can’t go in there!”

Puck glanced up from his computer just as the double doors to his office slammed open and his sister Isabelle stormed into the room, quickly followed by his incredibly flustered assistant.

“I told her to wait until I ascertained if you were busy but she refused” Kurt explained, smoothing his shirt.

“That’s because she knew I’d refuse to see her” Puck replied, grinning at his little sister before turning his slightly mocking gaze towards Kurt. “Although I’m kinda surprised you didn’t try and stop her.”

Kurt glared at their unwelcome guest “I did, she pushed me into my potted plant.”

Puck’s eyes followed Kurt’s hands as he brushed soil off his pants then he quickly looked away, realising that he was staring at his assistant’s ass. His nineteen year old assistant’s ass. Oh god he was totally some kind of pervert, Kurt would probably be horrified by the thoughts he had.

“Will you two shut up?” Issy flung a newspaper onto his desk “Have you seen this?”

_Millionaire Playboy Outed in Nightclub Scandal_

Kurt perched on the edge of the desk and picked up the paper, wrinkling his nose in displeasure before he handed it to Puck. “I don’t know who had poorest taste, Puck for getting involved in that mess or you for bringing trash into the office.”

Puck glanced at the paper then gave a slight shrug “So?”

“So? So?!”

He really didn’t see what the big deal was. Okay, if he’d had the choice he wouldn’t have wanted everyone to find out this way but now it had happened there wasn’t much he could do about it anyway.

“Yeah I don’t get the problem. You know I’m bi, Ma knows, my closest friends know...”

Issy let out a frustrated noise “You were caught receiving a blow job in the bathroom of a frickin club, that’s the problem.”

Kurt made another noise of disapproval, although whether it was directed at him or Issy, Puck didn’t know. If he had to guess he’d bet it was him though,Kurt’s opinion about his bedroom’s revolving door wasn’t exactly a secret.

“A toilet cubicle? Classy” Kurt drawled, thrusting the paper back towards Puck.

Puck stared at him for a moment, swallowing heavily under the weight of Kurt’s disappointed gaze. Sometimes he really wondered what had happened to the shy kid that had told incredibly bad jokes at his interview. Hiring an eighteen year old fresh out of high school as his PA probably hadn’t been the most professional decision he had ever made but he had been so damn cute that Puck had blurted out a job offer without thinking. Despite being totally unqualified and lacking any experience in admin or the construction industry, Kurt had caught on pretty quickly though and his confidence had rocketed sky high. It didn’t help that Puck let him get away with anything. “So what? Ma sent you to yell at me?”

“No she sent me to give you this” Issy replied, handing over a letter which he passed straight to Kurt.

Kurt at least could be trusted to read only the most important bits and Puck wouldn’t have to read her bitching at him. Although if he was honest with himself no amount of scolding from his mom could make him feel as bad as Kurt was just by the little glances he was shooting Puck every few seconds.

Kurt’s eyes widened as he began to read the letter “She describes your habits in some detail with extremely strong words, how disappointed she is, someone almost thirty should blah blah blah.... Oh.”

“What?”

“She... she.. umm.”

“What is it?”

Kurt swallowed “It says its time you settled down and got married.”

Puck snorted “Like that’s happening.”

“If you don’t marry a suitable person within the next three months your mother is planning on cutting you off” Kurt read, steadily becoming paler and paler.

Puck’s lips twitched “She threatens that all the time.”

Issy crossed her arms “She’s serious. If you don’t do what she wants she’ll take the company from you.”

Fuck.

“She can’t do that” Kurt gasped. “Can she?”

Puck ran a hand over his mohawk and rubbed the back of his neck, he was well and truly screwed. His mom could do whatever she wanted, she had given him every penny she had so he could start the company and she had a controlling stake in it.

“Yeah she can.”

“But…” Kurt began, glancing down at the letter again. “Oh. She has someone picked out already.”

“Who?”

“Santana Lopez” Issy replied.

Puck frowned “As in Senator Lopez’s daughter?”

“The very one” she said, handing him a dossier with a picture of a beautiful brunette on the front. “Apparently he’s trying to avert a scandal as well. Let’s face it no one would want you otherwise.”

Puck’s eyes involuntarily flicked towards Kurt then he shrugged “Whens the wedding?”

 

 

 

_One month later._

Kurt tucked the Tupperware box under his arm and balanced his bag on his knee, digging around inside for his keys. Eventually his fingers brushed against metal and he pulled, flicking each key over one handed until he came across the right one.

Letting himself into the apartment he called out “Puck it’s me.”

Puck looked up at him from his leather recliner and rolled his eyes “Of course it’s you. You’re the only other person with a key.”

Ignoring his boss, Kurt made his way across the open plan apartment and dropped the Tupperware box onto the kitchen counter. Reaching into a cupboard he pulled out two plates and emptied the contents onto them before grabbing two forks.

Smiling as Puck yelled at the football player on his fifty inch TV, Kurt glance across over the counter taking the opportunity to study Puck without being watched. The whole outing had been difficult for all of them with the increase in media attention, not to mention the increase in attention from the public. Kurt had been surprised by how well Puck took it at first but as time went on it was clear that he hadn’t expected anyone to care and of course they did.

One month on and Puck barely left his apartment unless he had to go to work or a business lunch and that just made the paparazzi all the more desperate for a picture. He put on a brave almost nonchalant face at the office but when they were alone he seemed to shrink into himself. The relaxed comedian was gone and left in his place was a still cocky but slightly worn man. He looked tired. Sure there were dark smudges under his eyes and when no one was looking his shoulders tended to sink forward but it wasn’t that. He looked like he was tired all the way down to his soul.

Wandering back across the room, he handed Puck a plate then settled onto the comfy sofa, tucking his feet under him.

“Why don’t you just cook here?” Puck asked for what was probably the fiftieth time.

“I don’t like your stove.”

“What kind do you like?” Puck asked, mouth half full.

Kurt paused mid bite “What does it matter?”

“I’ll buy a different stove.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, I only cook for you once or twice a week normally.”

Puck shrugged “S’not ridiculous if it means you come over more.”

“What?” Kurt whispered.

“To cook” Puck replied quickly.

Kurt cleared his throat “So what did you want to talk about?”

“I want you to find me a wife.”

Kurt put his plate on the floor as he began to choke. Puck wanted Kurt to find him a wife? Kill him now because life couldn’t get much worse.

“Better?” Puck asked after giving his back a few hard whacks.

Kurt nodded and accepted the bottle of beer Puck held out, taking a cautious sip “You want me to what?”

“You heard” Puck ground out, rubbing a hand across his face. “You gotta help me out dude. Since Santana ran off with that chic Ma’s been on my case twenty four seven.”

Santana Lopez eloping with her ditzy blonde, very female dance instructor as soon as she heard about Puck’s intention to propose hadn’t exactly been flattering but at least she had managed to eclipse Puck’s scandal for a few days. It was just a pity that it hadn’t lasted.

“Why? I mean, why look for someone? I thought you didn’t want to get married.”

Puck gave him an unreadable look “I don’t.” He shrugged “Ma wants me to settle down and I don’t see why I should wait for her to pick someone else.” Puck slouched into his recliner and grabbed his plate off the side table “I might as well have some control over the situation.”

“So ask someone else” Kurt replied, staring as Puck began to shovel food into his mouth. Trust him to still have an appetite. Kurt glanced at his own plate and sighed before picking it up, moving the rice around with his fork.

“I will, once you’ve found her.”

Kurt stifled the urge to hit Puck “No.”

Puck’s shock at Kurt’s refusal was so blatant it was almost funny.

“What?”

Kurt untucked his legs and headed towards the kitchen, dropping his plate in the sink “If you want to find a wife, do it yourself.”

Puck followed him halfway, leaning on the counter that ran parallel to the living room “Don’t be ridiculous. I can’t make this kind of decision without your input.”

“I’m your assistant, not a matchmaker” Kurt replied shaking his head.

“You help me with more than business.”

Kurt placed his clean plate next to the sink to drain and turned around, his stomach clenching at the sight of Puck leaning against the counter, his t shirt taut against his shoulders and chest. Suppressing the desire to reach out and wipe the slightly indignant, pathetic look off Puck’s face, Kurt skirted around him.

If he was honest with himself Puck had a point, Kurt did help him with more than just business. The apartment for one had been a total bachelor pad until Puck had given him free reign to do what he wanted. It was still a bachelor pad but now it had a few homey touches that made it a home rather than a place to sleep or get laid in. Kurt wandered over to the ceiling to floor windows and pushed the thick curtains he had chosen aside, pretending to stare down at the world below.

Kurt took a moment, closing his eyes in an attempt to stop the tears that were threatening to fall and let out a deep breath. If Puck knew, not that Kurt wanted him to because he was pretty certain that nothing could be more embarrassing than Puck realising how he felt but if he did then at least Kurt wouldn’t have to go through this. Puck wouldn’t be so cruel, to expect him to…

Shuddering as Puck stepped behind him, so close that Kurt could feel the heat radiating off his body, Kurt murmured “Puck, I can’t.”

“Why not?” Puck asked, his voice lower than usual. “Tell me why not, Kurt.”

Kurt allowed Puck to turn him by his shoulders and after a second or two looked up “I… I…”

Puck tilted his head, a confused look spreading across his face.

Clearing his throat, Kurt pulled away and retreated towards the couch “Doing your shopping is a bit different than choosing a wife for you.”

Puck didn’t reply for a moment then dropped onto the couch next to him “How’s it different from buying my underwear?”

There were odd times like this when Puck was so dense that Kurt was really tempted to question how on earth this man had become a self made millionaire.

“Why are you looking at me weird?” Puck asked.

“It’s very different and if you can’t see that then I don’t know what I’ll do with you.”

Puck swallowed and dropped his eyes to Kurt’s mouth “I’m sure you’ll think of something.”

Kurt swiped his hand over his lips, great he probably had sauce all over his face. Yet another way to show how much of a kid he still was.

Puck cleared his throat “So do you want to take the plane or one of the cars tomorrow?”

“It’s only four hours to Watkins Glen, we might as well save the planet and take my baby” Kurt replied with a grin. They had the best time every a few months earlier at the race track and he’d been looking forward to the classic cars show for months.

“Oh yeah coz a Lamborghini is so much more green than my private jet. Admit it, you just want to arrive in style.”

Kurt shrugged “Can I drive?”

“We can take turns.”

 

  


 

True to his word Puck let Kurt drive to the track, grinning as Kurt screeched to a halt and let out a happy whoop of joy. Damn he was cute.

“That was amazing!”

Puck glanced at the dash “I think that must be a world record, New York to Watkins Glen in under three hours.”

Kurt grinned “I love this car.”

“That camera totally got you.”

“That’s fine. It’s your car, the ticket will go straight to you” Kurt replied with a sideways glance.

Puck snorted “Oh great just what I need, another ticket.”

Laughing as he climbed out of the car, Kurt shrugged “I can’t help being a better driver than you.”

Puck caught the keys as Kurt threw them towards him and locked the doors. “You’re not better, you just never get caught.”

“I was once” he admitted.

“Really?”

“Mmmm but I got out of it.”

Puck stepped closer to Kurt, guiding him through the crowds of people gawping at his car “How the hell did you manage that?”

Kurt glanced up at him through his eyelashes “I flirted with the cop, he was very obliging and ripped up the ticket.”

Suddenly stopping, Puck stared down at Kurt who winked at him and carried on walking.

Jogging a few steps to catch up, Puck grabbed Kurt’s elbow and guided him to the left “I know we had fun in the stands in the summer but I figured you might be cold now its Fall so I got us one of the Tower suites.”

Kurt smiled “So that’s why you said I wouldn’t need a blanket.”

A bored looking steward broke into a nervous smile as he looked up “Mr Puckerman, we have your suite ready if you and your… guest would like to follow me.”

“My assistant” Puck corrected automatically.

The guy, who going by his expression had seen last months papers, stared at Kurt for a few seconds then nodded “Your assistant, of course.”

Puck gritted his teeth, forcing himself to thank the dude who left pretty quickly once he had shown them to their suite. He relaxed a little as Kurt ran to the window and jumped up and down a few times.

“This okay?”

“Okay?” Kurt repeated spinning around. “It’s wonderful.”

Puck smiled at Kurt’s breathy enthusiasm “Sweet.” Glancing around the room Puck’s eyes locked on the bar “You want a drink?”

“What do they have?” he asked, turning back to the window.

Puck wandered over to the bar “The usual spirits, beer. Oh hey there’s some fruit too. I could probably make something that tastes vaguely like a strawberry daiquiri.”

“I’m not sure whether to be terrified or excited.”

“How about somewhere in between?” Puck asked, grabbing the bottle of white rum and a tall glass. “Umm” he said, trying to work out how to make the drink without all the ingredients.

“Sounds promising” Kurt drawled.

“Could your nose get any closer to the window?” Puck muttered as he sliced a lime and squeezed it into the glass.

“Probably.”

Grabbing the bowl of strawberries, Puck chopped them as finely as possible then glancing over his shoulder to make sure that Kurt wasn’t looking, he squashed some in his fist before dropping them into the glass. He added some sugar then poured over the rum and swirled the glass until the contents looked vaguely mixed.

Wiping his hand on his jeans, Puck crossed the room and handed Kurt the drink “No liqueur I’m afraid.”

“Thanks.”

“Don’t thank me until you taste it, might be shit.”

Kurt took a cautious sip and smiled “It’s delicious.”

“I did think that we’d have a dude here to do all that but maybe that steward guy misread the situation and thought we’d want to be alone.”

A blush spread across Kurt’s cheeks “Oh.”

Puck ran a hand over the back of his neck “Yeah I mean… pretty ridiculous.”

“Ridiculous” Kurt repeated faintly.

After a few hours of watching the vintage cars race around the track, Puck stood up stretching his back out “Back in a bit kiddo.”

He glanced down at Kurt who was staring at the area of flesh exposed where Puck’s shirt had ridden up and grinned. Yeah he still had it.

Tearing his eyes away from Puck’s stomach, Kurt nodded “Kay.”

After a quick word with a steward, Puck headed towards the Pyramid trying to ignore the whispers and open staring as he passed several groups of people. The paper outing him had been a month ago for God’s sake, why the hell were people so damn interested still?

Picking up a souvenir for Kurt, Puck also grabbed a pair of sunglasses and a baseball cap then joined the long queue. Slouching his shoulders, he stared at the floor praying not to be recognised which worked pretty well until he got to the front of the queue.

“Hi, can I…. Shit you’re…”

“Yeah I am” Puck muttered, thrusting some bills towards the kid.

Hurrying out of the tent he shoved on the sunglasses and cap ignoring the odd comment and stares as best he could. Back at the suite, Kurt had left his position by the window in favour of one of the chairs and had clearly been attacking the buffet.

Glancing over his shoulder Kurt shot him a dazzling smile “You were gone ages.”

“Just stretching my legs.”

Kurt tilted his head “What’s with the disguise?”

“Heard one too many fag comments.” He shrugged “Felt like a bit of anonymity.”

Scowling Kurt muttered “Jerks” then passed him a plate. “Here I grabbed a few of your favourite things.”

Throwing himself down into the chair next to Kurt, Puck sank his teeth into a chicken leg. “Fancy looking at the cars being exhibited later?”

Kurt shot him a cautious glance “Are you sure? We can just stay here if you prefer.”

“Nah it’ll be fine.”

Nodding, Kurt turned back towards the window, absentmindedly nibbling on a carrot stick.

“I may have got you something when I was at the Pyramid” Puck murmured.

“Oh?”

Puck’s lips twitched as he handed over the plastic bag “Why don’t you see whats in there?”

Kurt pulled out the t-shirt and narrowed his eyes “Is this a bribe?”

“Huh?”

“I know you want me to find you a wife but buying me presents isn’t going to sway me.”

“Do you really think I’d do that?” Puck asked after a moments silence, attempting not to sound as hurt as he felt.

Kurt looked down and shook his head “No I don’t, not really.”

Puck swallowed “I know it’s not your usual style but…”

He looked up and smiled shyly “I’ll wear it to bed.”

Great that’s just what Puck needed in his head, the image of Kurt wearing nothing but the shirt.

“We should go to the next open weekend” Puck said, putting his empty plate down next to him as he lent back in his chair.

Kurt turned to him wide eyes “Can we? Really?!”

Puck grinned “Yeah, why not?”

Clapping his hands, Kurt let out a little squeal “Can I drive the Lamborghini?”

“Sure, I was planning on driving the Aston Martin. So yeah.”

“How very James Bond of you.”

“I could totally pull off being Bond” Puck replied.

Kurt snorted “No you couldn’t. Your British accent is terrible.”

“What are you talking about? It’s awesome!” When Kurt stared disbelievingly back, Puck drawled “The names Bond, James Bond.”

Kurt’s lips twitched then he burst into hysterical laughter.

“What?” Puck demanded scowling.

“You sounded Australian!” He laughed even louder as Puck made another attempt “Now you sound like you’re from India!”

“Fine, if you’re so awesome at accents you do it.” Puck’s mouth dropped open as Kurt did a perfect impersonation “That was so hot.”

Kurt froze and blinked a few times, his face steadily getting pinker and pinker.

Puck laughed at his expression and jumped up “Come on 007, lets go look at some vintage shit.”

“I can’t believe you just called those beautiful antiques ‘vintage shit’! You are so…”

“Studly? Drop dead gorgeous? Sex on legs?”

Kurt rolled his eyes “Amongst other things.”

Grabbing Kurt’s hand, Puck pulled him to his feet and dragged him out of the suite “Come on then, lets go look at some vintage shhh… antiques.”

As they reached the entrance, Puck reluctantly let go of his hand and shoved the cap on his head. Conscious of the people milling around and the occasional glances from other spectators he wandered behind Kurt who ran towards the nearest car and began to spout off a load of information about its engine and other statistics that Puck could barely follow. Leaving the attending steward completely stunned by the endless knowledge that spouted from his mouth, Kurt ran off towards another car with a little shriek of joy.

Puck smirked at the driver who shook his head, smiling slightly as Kurt let out another high pitched squeal. Clearly his mind had just been blown. Hanging back as Kurt ran between cars, educating anyone who got in his way, Puck glanced over his shoulder just in time for someone to snap a picture of him. Glaring into the crowd he tried to see the culprit but they had already disappeared. No need to guess who would be on the cover of some gossip rag the next day.

Spinning around Puck put his sunglasses on and stalked towards where he had last seen Kurt but couldn’t find him anywhere. He quickly made his way around the nearest couple of cars, attempting to search for Kurt while keeping his head down. This really sucked. He should be having an awesome time with Kurt enjoying vintage shit and fast cars but no, he was hunched over with a baseball cap and glasses disguise trying his damnedest to not be recognised. All he could think was how glad he was that he’d booked a suite and didn’t have put up with this shit all day. Last year had been awesome, barely anyone had recognised him and he and Kurt had the best day ever. So much for anonymity.

When after ten minutes he still hadn’t found Kurt, Puck reached into his pocket pulling out his cell only to shove it back in when he heard Kurt’s voice steadily getting louder and louder.

“What the…”

“How old do…”

“I’m not alone and even if I were…”

Hurrying towards Kurt’s voice, Puck clenched his fists. What kind of pervert was hitting on him?

“Kurt? Everything okay?” he asked as he reached Kurt who stood fuming with his arms crossed, one foot tapping in front of a steward.

“Tell this imbecile how old I am” Kurt demanded.

“There is no need…”

“What’s going on?” Puck asked turning to the steward.

The dude let out a long suffering sigh “As I was trying to explain to the young gentleman all guests under sixteen must be accompanied by an adult and he really shouldn’t be touching the exhibits.”

Damn did Kurt really look that young? Puck didn’t reply immediately, too focused on the slightly sick feeling that was building in his stomach.

“For god’s sake I don’t look that young! For your information I’m almost twenty and as you can see even if I wasn’t I’m with someone who is clearly an adult.”

The steward glanced towards Puck “Clearly. There is still the matter of you sticking your head under the hood. Obviously there’s health and safety issues but you could have broken something and they are very expensive parts.”

“Broken something?! I was fixing it, damn fool mechanic had…”

Puck rested his hand on Kurt’s arm halting him mid rant with one look then turned towards the other dude.

“This kid knows more about cars and how to fix them than all the mechanics, drivers and stewards here put together.” He paused before taking his glasses and cap off “And if in the unlikely event that he did break something, I think I could handle the bill.”

The moment that the guy recognised Puck was clear, shock flickered across his face and he stuttered “I.. I.. Of course… um sorry.”

Kurt growled as he turned and quickly walked away “Stupid jerk.”

“You said it.”

“I don’t really look that young do I?”

Puck shook his head “I don’t think so, no.”

God he hoped not.

Kurt smoothed the front of his hoodie and glanced down at his skinny jeans “I knew I should have dressed up.”

“Don’t be stupid” Puck said throwing an arm around Kurt’s shoulder. “You look great.”

“Well, I was aiming to look more like a guy.”

Puck frowned “You always look like a guy.”

Kurt smiled brilliantly “Less fancy then.”

“Fancy you looks good too. If anyone has a problem with it they can go fuck themselves.”

Kurt tucked himself closer under his arm and let out a breathy laugh “I like you.”

Puck started then looked down into Kurt’s eyes “I like you too.”

“I.. I meant like as a friend. You know? Because you say the funniest things” Kurt clarified, his eyes widening.

“Yeah course, so did I.” Puck glanced down at his watch “We should probably get going soon.”

“Okay.”

Heading back towards the car, Puck didn’t even notice if anyone was talking about him. He was content to wander along chatting with Kurt, one arm still wrapped around his shoulders. He had a passing thought that it would look pretty bad if anyone got a picture of them together but not even the threat of being in the papers again could get him to move his arm.

Kurt pointed to a stall up ahead “Ooooh Churros!”

Puck steered him towards the queue which was surprisingly fairly short. As they reached the front Kurt reached into his wallet and handed over a few notes before glancing over his shoulder “Do you want some?”

“Nah I’m cool.”

Kurt narrowed his eyes “Are you sure? You always say that then eat mine.”

Puck shook his head “No I don’t.”

“You know you do.”

“Where is this even coming from? I don’t remember ever doing that.”

“You have a very short memory in that case” Kurt replied.

The curvy red head behind the counter laughed as she handed over his Churros “You are such a cute couple.”

Kurt shook his head frantically “No! No, he’s my boss.”

“Oh sorry” she replied. “You just seemed… never mind.”

Clearly someone didn’t read the papers.

They walked away, Kurt slowly munching on his snack as Puck lead the way, weaving through the crowds. Climbing into the drivers side of his car, Puck waited for Kurt to climb in and fasten his belt before slowly driving out of the site.

“Why can’t I drive?”

Puck snorted “Because you had a drink which I totally shouldn’t have given you.”

“That was hours ago” Kurt whined.

“Okay how about the fact that you’re eating?”

“I can multitask.”

“You’re yawning none stop” Puck retorted.

“Am not” he muttered a second before letting out a loud yawn.

“It’s my turn.”

Kurt sighed “Fair enough.”

Puck reached across Kurt’s lap and helped himself to a Churros .

“See!”

“What?” Puck asked chomping the end off.

“You always steal food. Its like a compulsion” Kurt exclaimed.

“Is not.”

Kurt snorted “You don’t even like Churros

“I cant help it” Puck shrugged. “Food’s always better if it’s someone else's.”

 

  


 

A couple of hours later Kurt pulled himself up his seat, wriggling in an attempt to get feeling back into his butt. Sighing he turned the radio dial down until it was barely audible “I’ve been thinking.”

“Was it hard?” Puck replied quickly, shooting him a grin.

“HarHar very funny” Kurt drawled.

“So?”

“I’ve been thinking about what you said yesterday.”

Puck slowed down slightly “Yeah?”

“I’m not saying yes but If I did what would you be looking for?” Kurt narrowed his eyes as Puck pulled a face “You have no idea do you?”

Puck shrugged “That’s why I asked you.”

“I can’t just make a list of potentials” Kurt replied, staring at him in disbelief. If Puck didn’t know what he wanted how exactly was he supposed to?

“Why not?”

Puck seemed to realise that his answer was the wrong one because he let out a huff of breath and thought for a moment “Hot, not a total dumbass.”

“Hot” Kurt repeated “What do you find attractive?”

Puck hesitated for a moment “I like brunettes.”

“Well that’s a start I guess.”

“So you’ll do it?” Puck asked.

Kurt sighed “I’ll think about it.” He caught Puck’s grin out of the corner of his eye and rolled his eyes “Don’t look so smug.”

Puck didn’t reply for a moment, clearly trying to stop his lips from twitching “So you know what I like. What floats your boat?”

“Excuse me?”

“What do you find hot?”

Kurt glanced at Puck out of the corner of his eye and bit his lip “Umm.”

“Go on, I won’t laugh or anything.”

“Well” Kurt cleared his throat, “I suppose I like… you know.”

Puck let out a small laugh “No Kurt I don’t.”

“Bigger guys I guess” Kurt said quietly, his face feeling like it was on fire.

“You like chubby dudes?”

Kurt avoided looking at Puck “No, like muscles.”

Puck made a noise of understanding after a few seconds “Thats cool.”

“I tend to be more attracted to a person rather than a type of guy.”

“But muscles help right?” Puck asked with a smirk.

“Yes” he admitted. “It helps.”

“So your last boyfriend, what was he like?”

“I.. I… umm” Kurt stuttered. “I’ve been on dates but nothing serious has come out of it.” When Puck didn’t reply he mumbled “I’m looking for Mr Right rather than Mr Right Now.”

“That’s cool” Puck said. “I kinda wish I’d done that sometimes.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.” Puck held out his hand and Kurt automatically passed him the bottled water, he took a sip then handed it back. “You’ve got plenty of time to find someone. You’re just a kid.”

Great, perfect, a kid. That was just what Kurt wanted Puck to think.

A few minutes later Puck stopped the car in front of Kurt’s apartment building and glanced across at him expectantly.

“If I decide to help you find someone, I need to know if you plan to carry on your current lifestyle.” Kurt shrugged “I don’t think it would be fair if she expected you to be faithful and you don’t plan to be.”

Puck nodded “I do.”

Kurt felt his eyebrows shoot into his hairline as he pivoted in his seat “Really?”

“Yes really.” Puck snorted “I saw how much it killed my mom when my dad would cheat on her before he left. I wouldn’t do that to anyone.”

“Good, that’s good.”

Puck smiled “You’re a romantic aren’t you?”

Kurt shrugged “If that means that I don’t sleep around with anything that moves, then yes.”

“Like me.”

Kurt swallowed, he couldn’t believe he had just said that. He usually managed to keep his opinions about Puck’s promiscuity to himself. It wasn’t like Puck belonged to him, he could do what he wanted.

“I didn’t mean...”

“Yeah you did.” Puck winced “I know what I am Kurt but I’ll tell you this, if I could have the person I want I’d never even look at anyone else.”

“The person you want?” Kurt repeated. “Is there someone?”

“Yeah but it’ll never happen, can’t.”

“Why not?” he whispered.

Puck stared at him for a moment “Coz life isn’t fair.”

“Isn’t that the truth” Kurt sighed, resting his head on Puck’s shoulder.

 

  


 

Mondays had never been Puck’s favourite day of the week and the less said about Monday mornings the better.He let out another loud yawn and lent against the elevator’s wall. The last few weeks had been a nightmare, if he wasn’t seeing his face plastered all over the gossip magazines then his mom was on the phone demanding he put an end to the scandal. How the hell marrying some woman was going to stop everyone talking about him he didn’t have a clue.

In fact he could see the headlines now: _“Millionaire Playboy Puckerman Marries Woman - Could he possibly be overcompensating for something?”_

Puck knew who was to blame, he had made it all the way to twenty nine without anyone so much as guessing that he was bisexual then one guy comes along who looks a bit too much like Kurt and all his common sense goes out of the window. It was all Kurt’s fault.

Sighing as he entered the corridor Puck paused, watching as Kurt paced back and forward in front of his desk. He seemed to be muttering something under his breath and gesturing wildly with his hands.

“Kurt?”

Kurt froze in place then slowly lowered his arms and turned around “Hello Puck.”

“Everything okay?”

Kurt opened his mouth, closed it again then perched on the edge of his desk “Yes, of course! What would be wrong?”

Puck moved closer and pressed his hand against Kurt’s forehead “Are you ill?”

Shaking off Puck’s hand he shook his head “I’m fine. I’ve been thinking about what you want me to do.”

“You look like you’ve been thinking about it all night.”

Kurt nodded “I didn’t get much sleep.”

Puck frowned “Forget it then, it’s off the table. I didn’t…”

“I’ve decided to take the assignment.”

“What?”

“I see what this scandal is doing to you” Kurt blurted. “And if finding you someone to marry will make it all go away then I’ll do it.”

“You will?” Puck asked.

“Yes” Kurt nodded. “I want you to be happy again.”

Puck smiled “You make me happy. You’re a really good… assistant”

Kurt’s smile faltered “Yes I am.”

Puck pulled him to his feet and against his chest, wrapping his arms around Kurt’s back in a grateful hug. Kurt stood completely rigid, his arms down by his side for a few seconds then hesitantly reached up and wrapped his arms around Puck’s waist, slowly relaxing. It felt awesome having every inch of Kurt pressed against him, so good that he gave in to temptation and rubbed his cheek into Kurt’s soft hair and inhaled deeply. God he smelled amazing. Pulling back slightly, Puck gazed down into wide blue eyes. Kurt really was the perfect height, if he just lent down an inch he could…

Why did the phone always ring just at the wrong moment?

Puck set his hands on Kurt’s hips and pushed him away, hoping to God that Kurt hadn’t felt his rather obvious interest.

“Potential candidates should be your height.”

Kurt nodded and hurried over to his phone “Mr Puckerman’s office, Kurt speaking. How can I help?”

Puck stood for a moment trying to control his breathing then headed for the double doors that led into his office.

Puck groaned in frustration and dropped his head into his hands. He had never lost control to that extent before, he had almost kissed Kurt for God’s sake. It could never happen again, he couldn’t risk losing Kurt completely.

Rubbing his face, Puck lay his forehead on his forearms and groaned. It was rather ironic that the only person he had ever truly wanted heart, body and soul was the one person he couldn’t risk it for.

“He’s nineteen, he’s nineteen, he’s nineteen” Puck chanted into the table.

Puck knew that Kurt thought he was hot, he wasn't blind. It wasn’t hard to miss all the times that Kurt watched him with that innocent hunger but he was just a kid, he didn’t know what he truly wanted out of life yet and Puck wasn’t willing to ruin what they had for sex. He’d eventually get over it, maybe and in the meantime Kurt would find a guy his own age who wouldn’t have Puck’s past.  
  


Fuck that was going to be hard.  
  


Five minutes later, Puck raised his head and glanced towards the intercom as Kurt’s voice broke the silence of his office.

“You’re ten o’clock is here Mr Puckerman.”

Puck rolled his eyes before pressing the intercom button. Kurt always insisted that calling him Mr Puckerman in front of important clients lent an air of authority and respectability.

“Show him in please Kurt.”

“Yes Sir” Kurt’s voice replied.

The door opened and he locked eyes with Kurt who smirked and shrugged as Puck mouthed _Sir?_

“Sam Evans to see you Mr Puckerman.”

“So I see” Puck drawled before he nodded at his client. “Evans, how you been?”

Evans smiled jovially and reached for his outstretched hand “Awesome, you?”

Puck’s eyes flicked towards Kurt who was standing to his left, staring into space. “Yeah just great” he replied. “Kurt?”

Kurt shook his head then quickly looked between the two men “I’m terribly sorry. May I offer you a beverage Mr Evans?”

Evans smiled “Coffee would be awesome, thanks.”

Kurt left the room and they got down to business, hashing out a few details before falling into a discussion about football. They didn’t agree on many points but one thing they could agree on was the rising star that was Finn Hudson.

“Did you see....”

Puck was interrupted by Kurt entering the room humming a familiar tune under his breath. He settled back into his chair watching as Kurt carefully made his way across the room with two cups on a tray. Glancing up he noticed Evans watching him watch Kurt with dawning realisation in his eyes and cleared his throat.

“Milk or sugar?”

“A little sugar please” Evans replied, wiggling his eyebrows.

Kurt stared at him for a second then giggled nervously as he added sugar to the drink and handed it over.

Puck frowned, what the hell did Evans think he was doing flirting with someone so much younger than him?

Quickly moving to Puck’s side Kurt, composure regained, handed him the other cup their fingers brushing against each others as Puck took the drink.

“You’re coffee, sir” Kurt said a little too loudly as he winked dramatically, tilting his body so Evans couldn’t see his face.

Puck smirked as he took a sip of his hot chocolate. According to Kurt his preference for hot chocolate was immature and misguided. While he admittedly agreed that it wasn’t the most badass drink, Puck didn’t understand the need for cloak and daggers but as usual he shrugged and went along with Kurt’s whim.

“We should discuss some of the final details” Puck said, putting his cup down on his desk.

It was quickly removed by Kurt who tutted before setting it down on the coaster a few inches to the left.

Evans smiled questioningly and waved his hand between them “Are you two....?”

“No!” they both shouted.

He held up his hands and laughed “Okay.”

Stepping back, a note pad suddenly appearing in Kurt’s hand, he stood patiently waiting for them to begin. Puck stared down at the plans on his desk, occasionally pointing out potential problems and answering any questions Evans had. After a while the scratching noise of Kurt’s pen slowed and eventually came to a halt. Puck glanced across at him a few minutes later, frowning when he found Kurt staring into space again this time with flushed cheeks, his chest rising and falling heavily.

“Did you get that?” Puck asked loudly, startling Kurt out of his daydream.

Kurt stared at him for a moment, his cheeks flooding with even more colour before he shook his head “N-no, sorry.”

“I think he was thinking about something much more interesting than this meeting” Evans drawled, grinning at Kurt when his mouth dropped open and he glanced at Puck shaking his head.

Puck got up and stood in front of Kurt, reaching out to touch his upper arm “Everything okay?”

Kurt nodded frantically then stepped away “Sorry.”

“It’s fine.”

As Puck folded himself into his chair, Evans shot Kurt another knowing smile “You going to tell us what it was that was so interesting? I for one want to know what put that blush on your face.”

Puck shot him a glare and suppressed a growl “Maybe we should discuss the rest over dinner?”

Evans nodded “Sounds good to me. Maybe Kurt will feel like sharing later.”

“Kurt can’t come.”

“I can’t?” Kurt asked.

“No, you’re busy” Puck replied.

“I am? Oh yes so I am” Kurt responded as Puck raised an eyebrow.

“What a shame. I would have liked to get to know you better” Evans replied friendlily.

Kurt cleared his throat “Thank you Mr Evans.”

“Sam, please.”

Not liking where this conversation was going Puck muttered “Great, now we’re all on first name terms do you think we can look at these plans one more time before you go?”

A few minutes later Puck was happy enough with the progress that had been made in finalising the build details of the Evans’ latest hotel and anything else could be discussed later. What he wasn’t happy about was how friendly Kurt and Evans had become. Clenching his fist as Kurt giggled at a Darth Vader impression that was only vaguely passable he stood, bumping loudly into the desk causing them to pause and glance over at him.

 “I think that’s all we have time for.” Puck walked Evans to the door with Kurt trailing behind them and shook his hand “Until tonight?”

“Sure thing, I’ll call Kurt to arrange the details?”

Puck nodded tersely and clenched his jaw “That’ll be fine.”

“Goodbye” Kurt said as Evans shook his hand.

Evans smiled “Til next time, maybe then you’ll let me know what you were thinking.”

Kurt looked up as Puck took a step closer, their arms brushing against each other “I think you know.”

Puck frowned at the knowing look Evans shot Kurt then growled as the dude lent over and patted Kurt’s shoulder “Good luck with that.”

As soon as Evans was out of his office, Puck spun around “What the hell was that?”

Kurt froze “I’m sorry I was so unprofessional. It’ll never happen again.”

“Damn right you were unprofessional” Puck bit out. “You can flirt on your own damn time.”

“Excuse me?” Kurt did a double take then stared at him, mouth open. “I meant I was daydreaming... Flirting? Who was flirting?”

Puck scowled “Come on, even you know what flirting is.”

“Even.. me?” he replied. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“It means that you’re not so naive that you don’t know when a man is coming on to you.”

“Naive?” Kurt murmured. “No I’m not but please do me the great favour of clarifying when exactly I was flirting.”

Puck crossed his arms “You smiled.”

“I think you’ll find that I smile quite often” Kurt replied, raising an eyebrow.

“Not like that you don’t” he grumbled.

“Like what?”

Puck glared at him, attempting to ignore the crushing feeling in his chest “Like you wanted him.”

Colour flooded Kurt’s cheeks “Did not!”

“So you’re not interested?” Puck demanded.

“Even if I was it wouldn’t matter. He’s not gay” he replied.

Puck hmmphed “Like that matters. Dude would probably go gay for you.”

Kurt threw his arms in the air “Do you have any idea just how ridiculous you sound?”

“No more ridiculous than you sighing in that dreamy way and mooning over Evans.”

“For the last time, I was not mooning over Sam” Kurt ground out. He wandered over to the side board and poured himself a glass of water, taking a quick sip.

Puck shrugged “I know what I saw. You were practically gagging for it.”

“Excuse me?” he choked.

“You never know he might make an exception for you. With a voice like yours he could always prete...”

Kurt set the tumbler down heavily, the loud cracking of glass tearing through the room. He glared at Puck and pointed a finger at him “I dare you to finish that sentence.”

Puck snorted but didn’t continue. He knew he shouldn’t have tried pressing that button, knew how much it would hurt Kurt but a part of him didn’t care. He wanted Kurt to feel like that because then he might understand how Puck felt watching him faun over another dude.

“I’m taking the rest of the day off” Kurt said, straightening his sweater.

“What if I need you?”

“You should have thought about that before you opened your mouth.”

“Fine go” Puck replied, before muttering under his breath “It’s not like it wasn’t true though.”

Kurt shot him one last glare and stormed out of the office, slamming the door on his way out.

“I’d prefer to marry someone who doesn’t slam doors” Puck yelled after him.

 

  


 

Kurt spent the rest of the afternoon seething in his apartment. He considered calling home to rant about how unreasonable and blind Puck was but if his dad knew about his crush he would probably be on the first plane out to threaten Puck and the jig would be up so to speak.

What the hell was he doing? Any sensible person who had fallen in love with their boss would realise that there was no chance in hell that said boss would one day turn around, renounce his questionable lifestyle and shout his new found love from the roof tops. If Kurt had any sense of self preservation he’d have left months ago. Well, if he was being honest he would have had to leave as soon as he met Puck.

Kurt had been head over heels from the start and admittedly it had been hero worship at first but as he got to know Puck better it had deepened to love. Anyone who had watched Puck go through woman after woman and even a few men would have had their image of him tarnished. Puck was just a man, an incredibly messed up, completely hopeless, amazing man.

Right now he was an amazingly big jerk. An amazingly big jerk who had almost kissed him. At least Kurt was pretty sure that Puck had almost kissed him, unless he had been daydreaming again. One thing Kurt was fairly certain of was that Puck’s hardness hadn’t been a figment of his imagination.

“Uggggh!” Kurt groaned out loud. “Stop thinking about him.”

Trailing a finger along his DVD shelf he reached for a Doctor Who box set only to pause, since it was Puck who had gotten him into the series it probably wasn’t the best choice. Continuing along the shelf he settled on Howl’s Moving Castle and pulled it out. Settling back onto his coach, Kurt draped his cashmere blanket over his lap and snuggled into the large cushions, ignoring the fact that Puck had bought the ultra soft throw for him last Christmas after he mentioned how cold his apartment got. Stupid thoughtful bastard.

Just as Howl lost his towel there was a loud banging on Kurt’s front door, glancing at the clock he paused the DVD. No one had ever knocked on his door at eleven pm before, although if he was honest not many people had knocked on his door full stop. Pushing the blanket off his knees he slowly made his way to the front door and paused, hand halfway to the handle.

“Who is it?” he called.

“S’me” a familiar voice called.

Kurt’s heart thumped loudly “Go away.”

“Come on Kurt lemme in” Puck slurred.

Kurt sighed and opened the door, leaving the chain on “What do you want?”

“I can only see half your face” Puck said. “I like your whole face.”

Kurt tried to ignore the surge of butterflies in his stomach. So what if Puck liked his face, he was still a jerk.

“Talk.”

“I can’t, I have to see your whole face. Pleeeeeease?”

Sighing Kurt closed the door, rolling his eyes as Puck yelled “Kurt? Kurt? What’d you close the door for? You’re meant to be opening it.”

“I have to close it to take the chain off you idiot” Kurt replied, opening the door but holding onto it so Puck couldn’t enter his apartment. “You’ve been drinking.”

Puck nodded dramatically “I admit I might have had one or two. That Evans dude can’t hold his liquor at all, started singing a song about tractors being sexy on the way out of the club.” Puck lent in closer and whispered “Clearly has a fetish.”

“Clearly” Kurt repeated.

“This is your apartment?” Puck asked, peering over Kurt’s shoulder.

“I wouldn’t exactly be here otherwise would I?”

“No, no suppose not but...”

“But what?” he asked when Puck didn’t continue.

“Where’s the rest of it?”

Kurt rolled his eyes and crossed his arms “This is all my parents could afford.”

Puck nodded slowly “Why didn’t you move? After I mean. How much do I pay you anyway?”

“A lot more than you should.”

“And you still live here?” Puck tried to lean against the door frame but missed and hit his shoulder off it instead. He glared at the door frame as if it had suddenly moved out of his way then tried again, this time successfully. “You couldn’t swing a cat in there.”

“Since I have no intention of swinging a cat or any other domestic animal around my apartment I don’t see the problem” Kurt replied. He let out a heavy sigh “What are you doing here?”

“I’m sorry. I came to say that” Puck said with a shrug. “And umm yeah I’m sorry.”

Damn even his shrugs were sort of charming.

“For being unreasonable?”

“Yeah sure.”

Kurt hmmmed “For being an overbearing jerk?”

“Whatever.”

“For being a total... how would you put it... douche bag?”

“Kuuuuurt” Puck whined.

Kurt laughed “You better come in then.”

“The floor’s uneven” Puck said as he stumbled, throwing an arm around Kurt to steady himself.

Kurt wrapped an arm around Puck’s back and rested his other hand on his stomach, purely to stop him from toppling over. At least that’s what he told himself and if he hung on a little tighter than necessary, enjoying the sensation of being pressed against Puck a little more than he should then no one was any the wiser.

“No that’s you.”

Puck grunted and hauled Kurt closer, pressing their cheeks together as he mumbled “You should move, the floor’s not even flat.”

Kurt shook his head trying not to laugh as Puck tripped over his own feet again “Still you.”

Shaking his head forcefully Puck thrust him away, staggering forward a few steps before he spun around “You can live with me!”

“What?”

Puck’s face was so animated it was almost funny “My floors are flat, you’d like it.”

“As tempting an offer as that is, I’ll pass thanks” Kurt replied, shaking his head.

Puck pouted and shrugged sullenly.

“Why don’t you sit down?” Kurt asked opening his arms wide, herding Puck towards the couch.

Puck lent forward and shook the empty box on the coffee table “Pizza?”

“Someone didn’t invite me to dinner” Kurt drawled.

“You wouldn’t have liked it” Puck replied, shaking the box again as if it would suddenly hold left over Pizza. “Went to the club after, you couldn’t have come you’re...”

“... just a kid” Kurt finished for him, scowling.

“Was gunna say you were too classy for the joint but yeah suppose I shouldn’t be taking you to bars n stuff.”

Kurt stared at him for a moment then took the Pizza box out of his hand and wandered the couple of feet to his recycling bin. Grabbing a glass he ran the tap for a few seconds then filled it up. Puck may deserve the hangover he was destined to have but Kurt was the one who was going to have to spend the day with him.

Puck blinked down at the glass he was handed then drank it all in one go.

“Okay?” Kurt asked nervously. The last thing he wanted was vomit on his carpet, the apartment was bad enough without that.

Puck looked serious for a moment “How many tennis balls do you think Evans can fit in his mouth?”

“I have no idea” Kurt replied, his mouth twitching. “You really are ridiculous.”

Puck snorted “At least my floors are flat”.

Kurt sat down next to him and tugged his blanket out from under Puck’s butt, wrapping it around himself. Smiling as Puck wriggled under the blanket as well, Kurt pressed play on the DVD.

“You like cartoon porn?”

“What?!” he demanded, pausing the DVD again.

Puck waved a hand towards the TV.

“Its anime...”

“Dude’s naked. It’s porn isn’t it?” Puck interrupted.

Kurt hit him on the arm “It’s not porn he just lost his towel.”

“Yeah sure” Puck snorted. “In the next scene does he lose his soap?”

Letting out an exasperated breath, Kurt turned the TV off and stood up “On that note, I think I’ll go to bed.”

Jumping up, Puck staggered towards the nearest door pulling it open before peering inside. Kurt watched in amusement as Puck walked into the closet then stumbled out again. Pulling some of the cushions off the couch, he pulled the metal bar and unfolded his bed.

“While you’re in there, can you get my duvet and pillows?”

Puck disappeared into the closet again and emerged with the duvet half over his head and a pillow under each arm. He dropped them onto the bed then looked at Kurt expectantly.

“Where’s my bed?”

Kurt looked up from straightening the covers “In your apartment I imagine.” He laughed at Puck’s baffled expression “You can take the floor.”

“I’m not a dog” Puck replied indignantly.

Kurt smirked “Uhuh.”

Blinking a few times, Puck’s head rolled backwards in a huge yawn then he stumbled forwards. Kurt reached for him as he began to fall, grabbing him around the waist trying his hardest to keep Puck upright but inevitably failed. Puck weighed a ton.

Toppling backwards Kurt hit the thin mattress, letting out a loud whoosh of breath as Puck collapsed on top of him. Normally Kurt would have thought that having Puck lying on top of him in his bed was some kind of dream come true but he had always imagined that he’d be able to breath at the same time.

“Puck… P..Puck” he gasped, struggling to roll Puck off him.

His only response was a loud snore.

Wriggling free Kurt took a moment to get his breath back “Just a couple huh?” He snorted “You are such a lightweight.”

Kurt rolled onto his side and propped his head on his hand, staring down at Puck. He reached out and trailed a finger down Puck’s nose, then froze as his nose twitched. Rolling onto his feet Kurt tiptoed across to his chest of drawers and pulled out a clean pair of pyjamas. Glancing towards the bed and Puck’s snoring form he quickly unbuttoned his shirt and pulled on his t-shirt. Constantly looking over his shoulder at Puck to make sure he definitely was asleep, Kurt quickly yanked off his jeans and underwear, almost falling over in his haste to pull on his p.j. bottoms.

Cautiously approaching the bed Kurt flicked the lights off then pulled back the covers and slipped underneath. Listening to Puck’s breathing, Kurt began to slowly relax until Puck let out a disgruntled noise and started to wriggle.

“What are you doing?”

Puck grunted “Nothing.”

“If you’re doing nothing why is the bed bouncing?” Kurt asked.

“Jeans wont come off.” The bed shifted as Puck presumably sat up and yanked his jeans off. “There!” he proclaimed proudly.

Kurt blinked up at the dark ceiling “Why have you taken your jeans off?”

“Uncomfy” Puck muttered before he lifted the covers and slipped under them.

“Oh… Okay… umm go to sleep.”

Puck wriggled closer and pushed at Kurt’s shoulder forcing him to roll onto his side. He scooted closer and wrapped an arm around Kurt’s waist, snuggling into his back.

“Night Kurt.”

“Night Noah.”  
  


  


 

Kurt dropped his bag on his desk and stared at the double doors into Puck’s office “Is he here?”

Tina followed him, sipping on her coffee “Yep he’s been here about an hour.”

His eyebrows scrunched together as he glanced at his watch “Since eight? Puck never gets in before ten.”

Tina shrugged “He was today.”

Kurt tilted his head “Why were you in so early?”

“Mike had made a mistake on a set of plans, I was helping him put it right.”

“I’m sure you were” Kurt murmured, grinning when Tina flushed.

Their heads swivelled towards the double doors as a particularly loud groan came from the direction of Puck’s office.

“I think that’s my cue to leave” she whispered, disappearing into the corridor.

“Coward” Kurt muttered to her retreating back.

After he poured a cup of coffee, Kurt let himself into the office where he found Puck groaning quietly to himself face down on his desk.

“Here.”

Puck slowly looked up at him bleary eyed and accepted the cup.

“Thanks” he croaked only to pull a face after one sip. “Gross.”

Kurt lent against the edge of the desk and crossed his arms “Yes well, hot chocolate won’t get rid of a hangover.”

“Tastes better though.”

“Heathen” Kurt replied jovially.

Puck shook his head and held the cup out, whimpering “Burnt my mouth.”

Kurt rolled his eyes, taking the cup he downed the coffee and set it down on a coaster. Pushing off the desk he made his way to the sideboard and poured a glass of water.

“You need to hydrate.”

Puck sipped the water, holding the glass in his lap as he flopped back in his chair.

“You left before I woke” Kurt commented as he perched on the edge of the desk.

“Yeah, I thought it was best” Puck replied opening one eye. “I… umm.. Did? I mean?”

“What?” Kurt asked tilting his head.

Puck opened his other eye and shifted uncomfortably. He actually looked nervous. That had to be a first.

“I don’t remember much of last night.”

Kurt nodded “That’s not a surprise, you were rather far gone.”

“So, umm what happened?”

Kurt narrowed his eyes “You don’t remember why you came over?”

Puck looked worried for a moment “I remember being with Evans in the club and I felt bad about our fight. I wanted to apologise, I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”

Kurt swallowed hard then shook his head slightly. Puck didn’t mean it like that.

“Did I?”

“Yes you did.”

Puck still looked worried “What else happened?”

“You insulted my apartment, accused me of liking cartoon porn, asked me to move in with you and got lost in my closet.”

Puck blanched “I asked you to live with me?”

Kurt laughed “Don’t worry I said no.”

“Oh, well duh.” Puck worried his lip between his teeth “I... I didn’t like take advantage of you or anything?”

It took a second for Kurt to realise what Puck was asking him.

“Just my hospitality” he replied.

Puck let out a relieved sigh “I woke up in your bed, I kinda freaked out and ran. I should have stuck around but I was worried that I’d fucked up our thing.”

“Our thing?”

“Yeah you know our, umm, friendship.”

Kurt gave him a small smile “You are a silly man.”

Puck snorted “Aint that the truth.” He smiled up at Kurt “I’m just glad I didn’t do anything stupid.”

Kurt raised an eyebrow “And sleeping with me would be stupid?”

“Yes, no! I don’t know the right answer” Puck admitted.

Ignoring him Kurt gave him a sideways glance through his eyelashes “I never said nothing happened, just that you didn’t take advantage of me.”

“What?” Puck whispered. “Oh god.”

Kurt laughed and punched him gently on the shoulder “Not that.”

“What then?” Puck demanded. “Tell me what happened.”

“You snuggled me.”

Puck’s eyes widened dramatically and he flushed “I did what?”

“Spooned me to be exact and every time I tried to roll you away you held on tighter” Kurt replied smirking as he failed to mentioned that he hadn’t tried particularly hard.

“Oh, yeah sorry dude. I do that sometimes” he admitted.

Kurt smiled “Drink your water. I’m going to go do some work.”  
  


  


 

Puck raised his hand then hesitated. He hadn’t been to Kurt’s apartment once in the last eighteen months but there he was for the second time in as many days. He shook his head and began to walk away, what the hell was he doing? Kurt didn’t need this, he was already putting up with so much without the added stress of Puck as a house guest.

He paused at the top of the stairwell because really, who else did he have to turn to? Puck didn’t exactly have a long list of real friends, people who wouldn’t call the papers and out of them Kurt was probably the only one in New York City. Giving in to the inevitable Puck walked back down the dingy corridor and knocked on the door.

Kurt opened the door a few inches and peaked out of his apartment “Puck? What are you doing here?”

“Hey, can I stay here tonight?” Puck asked rubbing a hand over the back of his neck.

He stepped out of the way and nodded “Is something wrong?”

“Media.”

“Oh?” Kurt gestured towards the couch and closed the door. “Outside your apartment?”

Puck dropped down onto the cushions, pulling one out from behind his back and wrapped his arms around it “Yeah.”

“Where did you park?”

“Out front” Puck replied with a shrug.

Kurt shook his head “You’ll get a ticket.”

Puck shrugged “Doesn’t matter.”

“Hungry?”

“A bit” Puck admitted a second before his stomach let out a loud rumble.

Kurt grabbed a container out of the fridge and removed the lid, heating it in the microwave for a few seconds. Puck closed his eyes and listened as Kurt moved around his tiny kitchen, only opening them when he heard Kurt clear his throat.

“What is it?”

“Sweet potato flan” Kurt replied sitting down next to him.

Puck ate a few mouthfuls “S’good.”

Kurt smiled and pulled his blanket around himself then after a short pause covered Puck’s legs with it as well. Finishing the rest of the flan, Puck dropped the container onto the floor and shifted closer to Kurt.

“Thanks.”

“I was just about to watch a movie” Kurt said nodding towards the bookshelf. “How about Fight Club?”

Puck pushed the blanket away and stood in front of the DVD collection “This one.”

Kurt peered at the box from across the room and groaned “Again?”

“We haven’t watched it in ages” Puck protested.

“Okay fine, put it on.”

Puck dropped the DVD into the player then sat down slightly closer to Kurt than before “It’s a great film, stop rolling your eyes.”

Kurt lent back and gave him a funny look “The Wedding Date is enjoyable but in no way is it a great film.” He shook his head “If people knew about your taste in films….”

“But they never will” Puck said sternly. “Will they.”

Kurt held his hands up “Not from me.”

Sighing as Nick and Kat met for the first time Puck glanced over at Kurt “Do you believe in love at first sight?”

Kurt shook his head, not taking his eyes off the screen “Love at first sight is pure narcissism.”

Oh great another fault to add to Puck’s pile.

“But...” Kurt’s lips twitched “I believe in lust at first sight.”

Puck stared at him for a while then cleared his throat and looked away “So you’ve never felt like... like you just knew?”

“Maybe” Kurt replied.

Puck’s head swung towards Kurt of its own accord “Yeah?”

Kurt shrugged “Like I said lust. You can’t know you’ve met the one when you haven’t even spoken to them.” He paused “Have you ever?”

“Yeah I did once.”

“What happened?” Kurt asked leaning closer.

“Nothing” Puck replied. “Wasn’t meant to be.”

Kurt moved away again “I think it’s just attraction, love comes with time.”

Puck grinned “You sound like an expert.”

“Hardly” he replied rolling his eyes.

“Have you ever...” Puck started, pausing when he realised that he didn’t know if he wanted to know the answer or not.

“Been in love?” Kurt finished for him. “Yes once.”

Puck swallowed heavily, wondering who the lucky guy had been and if he could get away with pummelling the dude.

“How about you?” Kurt asked.

“Once.”

They settled back down on the couch, moving slightly closer as the temperature in the apartment began to drop.

“Is it always this cold in here?”

“Mmmm” Kurt replied. “The landlord keeps saying that he won’t do anything about it, but he will.”

“You should have told me” Puck chastised. “I’ll…”

“Do nothing and let me handle it” Kurt finished.

“Fine” Puck scowled. “Be cold if you want.”

“Thank you I will.”

Turning back to the TV, Puck let out a loud sigh “I love this bit.”

As Kat and Nick lay down on the bed, Puck glanced down as Kurt’s hand and fought his instinct to reach out and take it in his.

Puck’s eyes traced Kurt’s face as Nick said “I think I’d miss you even if we’d never met.”

“What?” Kurt asked staring back at him.

“It’s true you know.” Puck admitted “I would miss you.”

Kurt fought a smile that eventually lit up his entire face “You’re so cheesy.”

They sat for the rest of the movie, the sides of their hands pressed together but not holding. As the credits rolled they both yawned and Puck stretched, arching into the couch.

Kurt’s eyes flickered down then were quickly averted as a blush spread across his face “I think I’ll hit the hay.”

“Yeah me too, I’m wrecked.”

For some reason that made Kurt blush even harder “Okay.”

“So where’s your spare room?” Puck asked looking around.

“I don’t have one.”

“Okay, so I can have your couch?”

Kurt looked at the couch then back at Puck “I sleep there.”

Puck had never been the most observant person and he’d had one hell of a hangover not to mention was in a state of panic when he had snuck out of the apartment but how the hell had he missed that it was a studio?

“It pulls out into a bed” Kurt added, shifting uncomfortably.

Swallowing heavily Puck blurted “I’ll sleep on the floor.”

“We shared last time.”

Puck didn’t reply for a moment and glanced between the couch and Kurt a few times “I don’t think that’s a good idea.

“Okay, sure. Whatever you’re comfortable with.”

Kurt disappeared into a closet then emerged with a load of blankets and two pillows, half of which he dumped onto the couch and the other half he handed to Puck. He then removed some of the cushions and pulled out his bed, taking time to straighten the covers before he disappeared into the bathroom.

“Everything okay?” Puck asked when Kurt picked up his p.j’s and shot him a worried look.

“My bathroom’s a little small to change in.”

“That’s cool” Puck said making his way to the tiny bathroom. “I need to piss anyway, I’ll just stay in here til you say I can come out.”

“Thanks” Kurt breathed.

When Kurt shouted that he could come out, Puck edged his way out of the room grateful that he wasn’t claustrophobic because wow was that room tiny. He smiled to himself as he caught sight of Kurt in his bed with the covers pulled all the way up to his chin. Settling down on the floor on top of one blanket, Puck kicked off his jeans and pulled the other one over him.

“Night.”

“Don’t let the bed bugs bite” Kurt replied sleepily.

Puck grinned “If they do use dynamite.”

Kurt let out a little giggle then rolled over, letting his hand dangle over the edge of the bed “Why does this feel like a slumber party?”

Puck smiled, reaching out to take his hand and linked their fingers together.

A few hours later Puck let out a loud groan and finally gave up. Really what was the point? The floor was super hard and every two second a draft whooshed across his neck, making it stiffer and stiffer. Maybe he would have to admit that his days of crashing on floors after a drunken night were over.

Hauling himself to his feet, Puck stared down at Kurt and swallowed heavily before he gingerly lifted the covers up, edging his way underneath. In response to the sudden dip in the mattress, Kurt made the cutest little noise and rolled onto his side, his back to Puck.

Curling around him, Puck propped himself up on his right arm and traced Kurt’s cheek with a fingertip, surprised when stubble rasped his finger.

“Noah” Kurt breathed.

Quickly pulling his hand away, Puck lay down smiling as Kurt let out a snuffly snore and wriggled back into his arms.

 

  


 

“Sun” Puck grumbled. “Why is there sun?”

Slowly opening his eyes Puck tilted his head slightly so he could see the clock on the wall and groaned. How was it nine am already?

As consciousness slowly returned to him, Puck began to notice that overnight one or two things had changed. He remembered climbing in to bed with Kurt but Puck was pretty certain that when he had fallen asleep he had been spooning Kurt not the other way around. Puck was also positive that Kurt’s erection was new too but there it was pressing into his butt.

“Kurt?”

“Mmmmm?”

Puck swallowed as Kurt rocked against him “Umm Kurt?”

“Noaaah” Kurt replied. “Want…”

Puck gasped as Kurt threw a leg over his hip and the rocking increased. Letting out a strangled noise Puck scrambled out of the bed, pulling his jeans on quickly to hid his rather obvious reaction.

Breathing heavily, Puck hurried into the tiny kitchen area and grabbed an apple taking a huge bite just so he had something to do that wasn’t climbing back into bed with Kurt and finishing what he had started.

Kurt suddenly sat up, probably looking for what was making the banging and clattering noises, his eyes widening when his eyes met Puck’s.

“Puck? You’re looking very” he paused “shirtless today.”

“Oh umm yeah” Puck muttered grabbing his shirt off the floor, pulling it on quickly.

He wandered across the room, occasionally taking a bite out of his apple as he avoided eye contact with Kurt who bunched the covers over his hips as Puck passed.

“So what’s with the shrine to Finn Hudson?” he asked pausing in front of the newspaper clippings and photos taped to the wall.

Kurt sent him an odd look “I would have thought it quite obvious.”

“You don’t like football” Puck retorted, feeling jealousy seep through him.

“What’s my brother’s name?”

“Err Finn I think?”

“And what does he do?” Kurt asked slowly.

“Plays for... Oh.”

Kurt snorted “Give the man a biscuit.”

Puck rolled his eyes “Kinda thought your brother would have the same surname as you.”

“Step-brother, our parents married a few years ago.”

Oh yeah, Puck vaguely remembered something about a wedding.

Kurt glanced across the room then seemed to be surreptitiously rearranging himself under the covers before he slipped out and hurried into the bathroom.

“So what’s it like having a famous brother?” Puck asked when Kurt emerged, more for something to say than because he actually wanted to know.

Kurt grabbed his hair spray and raked his fingers through his hair as he sprayed “Ask me when he’s in the pros.” He shrugged “I get more attention for being your assistant.”

Puck winced “Yeah, sorry about that.”

“Can’t be helped” Kurt replied after a moments pause. “Shall we go out to breakfast? I have a craving for coffee that I didn’t make myself.”

“Sure.”

Twenty minutes later Puck followed Kurt out of the apartment, waiting impatiently for him to lock the door.

“I can’t believe that it takes you that long to get dressed” Puck whined. “I’m so hungry.”

Kurt rolled his eyes but didn’t reply as he headed for the dingy stairwell.

“So where we going?”

“I know a little place around the block. Don’t worry they have waffles.”

Puck grinned, holding the door open as they stepped into the street “Awesome.”

“There he is!” someone shouted.

The next thing Puck knew a camera was being shoved into his face and what felt like a hundred flashed went off temporarily blinding him.

“Puck! Puckerman this way.”

Grabbing Kurt’s arm, Puck spun him back into the tiny lobby and pushed him towards the stairs as he slammed the door in their faces.

“Upstairs, go” Puck urged, taking the stairs two at a time.

“Where the hell are my keys?” Kurt muttered, digging through his bag as the reached his door.

“That little pocket on the left side.”

They both spun around as the door across the hall opened to reveal an elderly lady holding a newspaper.

“Kurt dear...”

“Mrs Kennedy?” She handed him the paper which he glanced down at, his eyes widening “C-can I borrow this?”

“Of course.” She narrowed her eyes at Puck “You take care of yourself Kurt.”

Kurt nodded and twisted the key, slamming the door and locking it behind them.

“Oh my God.”

“What? Why’d she give you the paper?” Puck demanded as Kurt groaned and slumped down on the still pulled out bed.

Puck took the paper, reading aloud “Millionaire Playboy Noah Puckerman takes Teenage Lover.”

Well there was that photo from the motor show. It was a decent shot, Puck in the foreground with an affectionate smirk and a excited Kurt in the background leaning over a vintage car. Puck’s eyes moved on to another photo, slightly smaller this time, showing them walking down a street a few blocks from the office smiling at each other. It was just bad luck that the perspective made it look like they were holding hands.

Puck cleared his throat “Entrepreneur Puckerman, recently outed as bisexual in a nightclub scandal, has been seen enjoying the company of his teenage employee Kurt Hummel. Puckerman was seen entering Hummel’s apartment only to emerge dishevelled hours later. Puckerman 29 and Hummel 19, were seen cavorting...”

Kurt stood up and grabbed the paper “They’re making you out like a dirty old man. I’m almost twenty for gods sake.”

“Yeah and I’m almost thirty. If it were true then it would be pretty accurate.”

“Don’t be ridiculous” he bit out. “And cavorting... when the hell were we cavorting?”

Puck lent over Kurt’s shoulder and pointed to a picture of them at the bottom of the page. It had clearly been taken the same day as the previous image only a few minutes later when Kurt had decided that his new knee high boots weren’t the wise investment piece that he had thought they were. Whichever reporter thought that poor footwear choice induced piggybacks was cavorting either needed to look the word up in a dictionary or seriously needed to get out more. Probably both.

“This is all my fault.”

Kurt rolled his eyes “Of course it’s your fault.”

Puck perched on the edge of the couch arm as Kurt began to read aloud.

“Hummel, step brother of rising college football star Finn Hudson is reported to be Puckerman’s personal assistant. The writer wonders just how personal....” Kurt stopped abruptly. “They actually dragged his name into this sordid affair. How did they find out? We’ve got different surnames.”

“That’s why it’s called investigative journalism.” Puck grabbed the paper “Will he be pissed?”

“No, he’ll find it funny but my.... Oh lord I’ll have to call my dad before he reads this” Kurt said grabbing his cell off the counter. “Too late” he groaned as his phone lit up. He quickly sent a text then shoved the phone into his pocket.

Puck went to the closet and grabbed a bag then opened Kurt’s chest of drawers grabbing handfuls of clothes, shoving them into the bag “We’ll go to my mom’s place.”

Kurt, who must have been more affected by the recent turn of events than he appeared to have been, made no comment about Puck’s lack of folding or the treatment of his clothes.

“Maybe I should go to my dad’s. If we’re seen leaving together then the rumours will just get worse.”

Puck shook his head as he zipped up the bag and dropped it onto the bed “No. I want you where I know you’re safe.”

“I wouldn’t talk to them. Even to deny their allegations” Kurt replied.

“That’s not what I’m worried about” Puck muttered, parting the blind to peer down at the paparazzi below.

“Oh?”

He shrugged “It just makes sense, we both had to be in Connecticut for my birthday anyway right?”

“I suppose.”

Grabbing Kurt’s wrist Puck pulled him out of the apartment, waited for him to lock up then ushered him downstairs.

“Lets do this thing.”

Taking a deep breath Puck stepped into the street, letting go of Kurt as he did to avoid giving them any genuine photo opportunities. Pushing his way through the crowd, Puck kept his head down and tried to stay in front of Kurt to block as much of their view of him as possible.

“Where are you going?” a woman with blond hair yelled.

A tall weedy dude pushed forward “How long have you been an item?”

Puck almost groaned as someone he recognise elbowed his way closer, Jacob Ben Israel had to be his least favourite reporter slash stalker.

“What’s it like robbing the non kosher cradle?” he demanded in his usual creepy voice.

Attempting to keep the anger of his face Puck pushed past but shot him a glare as Israel got too close to Kurt who let out a little squeak and latched onto Puck’s hand. Tightening his hand around Kurt’s, Puck pulled him closer and guided him into the passenger seat of his car.

“Lock the door.”

Ripping the parking ticket off the windscreen, Puck climbed in and started the engine then put his foot to the floor, watching in his mirror as the vultures ran to their cars.

 

  


  
“Turn your cell off. It wouldn’t be the first time someone misused their position to make a few bucks.”

Kurt dug out his cell and powered it down, throwing it into his bag as he let out a shuddering breath.

“Okay?” Puck asked.

“Yes, you?”

Puck grunted “Guess so.”

Kurt watched him drive, trying to read Puck’s face but not look like he was staring “Are you sure?”

He didn’t reply for a moment, then seemed to carefully plan his words “I didn't expect it to feel like this, I guess.”

Kurt nodded and waited for Puck to speak again.

“I wasn't bothered about being outed at first but now...” he shrugged. “Why is everyone so bothered?” he asked in a quieter voice.

Kurt shot him a sideways glance “I think it’s because you were such a mans man, a different woman on your arm each week.”

“And the age difference” Puck added.

“Well I’m sure that’s a factor in their recent interest” Kurt agreed.

Puck swallowed, his eyes looking suspiciously teary “It’s not just the media, it’s all the comments at the show.”

“It hurts doesn't it.”

Kurt tried not to look as he heard Puck sniff, instead he sat staring at his lap for a few minutes then slowly reached across and placed his hand on Puck’s leg, gently rubbing his thumb across the top of Puck’s thigh.

Puck cleared his throat and placed his right hand over Kurt’s “Is this where you tell me that it gets better?”

“No” Kurt replied. “This is where I tell you that they’re always going to be interested. It’s just a story to them.” He turned his hand, entwining their fingers “But if you show them that you accept yourself and that they can’t touch you emotionally then the majority of people will accept it too and the rest… Well they’ll get bored soon enough.”

“Yeah you’re right.”

Kurt turned his head, catching Puck staring at their joined hands “Of course I am. Eyes on the road Puck.”

Puck stared out the windscreen “You always know what to say.”

“Not always” Kurt said smiling sadly. “Not when it counts.”

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing” he murmured. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Everything about you matters.”

Puck squeezed Kurt's hand then let go, returning his hand to the steering wheel. Kurt reluctantly returned his hand back to his lap and tightened it into a fist, holding in the warmth that Puck had left behind.

Turning in his seat, Kurt stared out of the back window “I think you lost them.”

A few miles later Puck pulled into a gas station, staring into the rear view mirror for a few seconds before he climbed out. Kurt followed him, leaning against the side of the car as Puck filled the tank.

“I’m going to call my mom and give her a heads up.” Puck handed Kurt his wallet “Can you sort out the bill and get us some food?”

Kurt nodded and headed inside, grabbing a few bags of chips and some rather dubious looking gas station sandwiches before joining the short queue at the front of the shop.

“Hey.”

Kurt turned and gave the man behind him a curt nod “Good morning.”

“What’s someone like you doing in a place like this?” the guy asked.

Raising an unimpressed eyebrow, Kurt scoffed “Is that the best you can come up with?”

From a cursory glance he didn’t look like a member of the press, his Prada shoes, slim fit jeans and polo shirt gave off a college student with a rich daddy vibe but you never could tell these days. In any case Kurt was so not in the mood to humour Mr tall, dark and slightly handsome right now. If he was honest with himself he probably wouldn’t want to talk to the guy even if they weren’t on the run. Prada Shoes already had a huge disadvantage in the fact that he wasn’t Puck.

The guy pressed a hand against his heart “So cold sweetheart.”

“I’m not your sweetheart” Kurt scowled, stepping forward as he became second in the line.

“So do you like cars?” he asked. “That’s mine out there.”

Kurt glanced out of the window “Am I supposed to be impressed?”

Prada Shoes smirked “You know you are.” He took a step closer, his chest almost grazing against Kurt’s back as he murmured “I’ll take you for the best ride of your life.”

Rolling his eyes, Kurt let out a sigh as he stepped up to the counter “Number three and these please.”

Once he had paid Kurt attempted to step around the guy who wouldn’t take a hint only to be stopped by a clammy hand grabbing his wrist.

“Come on babe, you know you want it?”

Kurt stared back at him “What? You mean meaningless sex with you or a ride in your quite frankly tacky as hell base model BMW?”

Prada Shoes scowled, tightening his grip “It’s not the base model.”

Kurt took hold of his pinky finger and pulled, not enough to actually break it but enough to make the guy think that he would. Prada Shoes suddenly let go and took a step back.

“It is” Kurt replied. “You come across as extremely entitled by the way. You should work on that.”

“Like you could do any better” the guy grumbled.

Half way to the door Kurt paused and turned “Do you see the man at the phone booth?”

“Yeah so?” Prada Shoes’ eyes widened “He’s your boyfriend? Him?”

“Yes” Kurt lied. “So as you can see, yes I can do a hell of a lot better.”

He snorted, his eyes flicking over Puck’s tight baseball shirt and ragged jeans “I’m supposed to be impressed by a guy who looks like an ex-convict? I mean granted he’s got a hot body but come on.”

Kurt smiled “Totally hot.”

“You’d rather be with some loser who’s probably stuck in a dead end minimum wage job than…”

“Yes” Kurt interrupted. “Yes I would but luckily that’s not the case.” When he got a disbelieving look Kurt nodded out of the window “See the Lamborghini?”

Prada Shoes stared longingly at it for a few seconds “You actually think you can make me believe that he owns that?”

Kurt shrugged “I don’t care what you believe. It’s my turn to drive so if you’ll excuse me I’m going to get going.”

As he turned to leave the bell above the door sounded and Puck wandered in “Ma’s expecting us in… everything okay Kurt?”

Kurt smiled as Puck shot Prada Shoes a distrustful look and stepped closer to him “Sup?”

Prada Shoes turned his nose up “Hello.”

“Did you get everything?” Puck asked looking into the bag. At Kurt’s nod he smiled “Your turn to drive babe.”

Taking the keys Kurt grinned and followed him out of the store, turning to wave at Prada Shoes as he climbed into the driver seat of the Lamborghini.

“What was that about?” Puck asked as he pulled out of the gas station.

“He was just hitting on me” Kurt replied, laughing at Puck’s scowl. “What was ‘babe’ about?”

Puck shrugged, ripping open one of the packets of sandwiches “Thought he was a little too interested.”

Kurt hummed, why would Puck care if someone was hitting on him? Unless.. No. There was no point going down that train of thought, Puck was just worried about undercover press. That was it.

“Want a sandwich?” Puck held the sandwich in front of Kurt’s mouth “Go on, they’re pretty good.”

Kurt took a cautious bite “Not bad.” He reached for the sandwich “I…”

“Both hands on the wheel Kurt!”

Rolling his eyes, Kurt returned his right hand to the wheel “We’re on a straight road, I think I can handle it.”

“I don’t care how good a driver you are, when you drive this car you use both hands” Puck retorted.

“You don’t.”

Puck thrust the sandwich back towards Kurt’s face “It’s my car.”

Kurt took another bite and didn’t argue. How many assistants could boast that their boss let them drive Lamborghini's, Ferrari's, Aston Martin’s and whatever else they happened to have. His age alone must make the insurance premiums astronomical.

“You just like feeding me” Kurt said.

Grinning, Puck took a huge bite of the same sandwich “Well there is that.”

“Just as long as you remember that when I’m not driving I can feed myself. I’m not a child.”

Puck shot him a startled look, in fact he looked a little sick. “There’s other times that people feed each other” he blurted.

Kurt scrunched his face, thinking for a moment then realisation hit him. He felt his cheeks flood with heat “Oh.”

“I love this song” Puck said slightly too loudly, turning up the radio.

Well that was one way to break an awkward silence.

“You like Justin Beiber?”

“Huh?” Puck muttered distractedly. “Oh god no!”

Kurt laughed as he quickly shoved in a CD “Much better.”

Puck sang along loudly, rummaging in the glove box for a few seconds before he pulled out Kurt’s spare hairbrush and held it out for Kurt to sing into.

 

_Just like driving on an open highway  
Never knowing what we're gonna find  
Just like two kids, baby, always trying to live it up  
  
_

“Shit” Puck bit out, dropping the hairbrush. “We’ve got company.”

Kurt glanced in the rear view mirror “How the hell did they catch up?”

“It’s that Ben Israel weirdo. I recognise his car.”

“Great” Kurt drawled. “Just perfect.”

“Floor it dude, I’ll pay any ticket.”

Kurt snorted, pressing the pedal as far as it would go “This is going to make an interesting front page. Millionaire playboy and his toy boy arrested for speeding.”

__

  


_  
_

 

Kurt slowed the car as he reached the private driveway, following the winding road for a mile until he reached the house. Pulling into the large garage he parked next to the DB9 and climbed out, hanging the keys on the hook by the door once he’d had a good stretch.

“I know I said floor it but damn” Puck said, arching his back as he stumbled out of the garage.

“I lost him, that’s all that matters.”

“You’d have gotten more than a fine for that” Puck muttered. “You’re just lucky there weren’t any cops around.”

Kurt raised an eyebrow “If we’d been pulled over I would have climbed over you and swapped seats.”

Puck looked startled “Huh? You’d let me go down for you’re crime?”

“Damn right I would” Kurt replied sweetly. “I’m too young to do time.”

Laughing at Puck expression, Kurt swung his bag onto his shoulder and wandered down the path towards the house. The sprawling mansion was one of the first things that Puck had bought when his construction company got it's first big contract with wealthy sports presenter and club owner Sue Sylvester. His mom lived in it year round, prefering the country air and peace to the hustle and bustle of New York but Puck visited fairly regularly and in recent months he had been inviting Kurt along with him more and more.

“Come on” Puck called, now ahead of him with Kurt’s overnight bag swung over his shoulder.

As Puck stepped onto the front step the door swung open and his mom hurried out, pushing past Puck as she pulled Kurt into her arms.

“Darling!”

Kurt wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged back “Lovely to see you too Abigail.”

“Helloo I’m your son not him, remember?” Puck called as he walked into the house.

Abigail wrapped her arm around Kurt’s waist and guided him inside.

“How’s he doing?” she whispered.

“Could be better but he’ll survive” Kurt whispered back.

Puck dropped Kurt’s overnight bag at the bottom of the stairs and frowned “I know you’re talking about me.”

Abigail raised an eyebrow “Why would we be talking about you?” She didn’t give Puck a chance to answer before she tutted loudly “Not everything is about you.”

Kurt bit his lip as he tried and failed to suppress a giggle, letting out a loud snort. “Sorry, I just love your mom” he gasped, reaching out to pat Puck’s arm.

Abigail grinned and wrapped her arm around his waist.

“You’ve been using the shampoo” she beamed.

“Shampoo?” Puck asked.

Kurt smiled “Your mom was kind enough to send me some organic orange scented shampoo that they make just down the road from here.”

Puck glanced at his mom then back at Kurt “You two keep in touch?"

“Yes” Kurt replied. “Why not?”

Puck mumbled something unintelligible then sighed “I’ll show you your room.”

Kurt followed Puck up the stairs, smiling at Abigail over his shoulder before switching his gaze to Puck’s ass.

Puck opened the door to one of the guest bedrooms and dropped Kurt’s bag on the couch in the small sitting area “This okay?”

Kurt smiled, resting his weight on his left hip “It always is.”

Puck shrugged “I remembered you saying you like this room best.” He shifted awkwardly and shoved his hands in his pockets “I’ll leave you for a bit then. See you downstairs?”

Kurt nodded and watched as he left the room, smiling as Puck glanced back over his shoulder.

Dropping his bag onto the desk, Kurt fished around and grabbed his cell, pressing it a few times until a derpy face was spread across his screen.

“Sup?”

“Finn, it’s me” Kurt replied.

“Dude are you okay? What the hell’s going on? You’re all over the papers even here.”

Kurt groaned and sat down heavily on the huge four poster bed “Seriously?”

“There’s a video on youtube of you leaving your apartment block with him, it’s gone viral.”

“Oh god, has dad seen it?” Kurt asked, rubbing his forehead.

Finn hummed “Doubt it, he’s not exactly Mr technical is he? Just hope my mom hasn’t seen it, she’d probably show him it coz she thought it was cute or something.”

“Cute?”

“Yeah, you’re holding hands” Finn replied, sounding like he had his mouth full. ““Are you really sleeping with that Mohawk dude?”

“Of course not!” Kurt hissed, his face steadily growing warmer and warmer.

“It’d be fine if you were, he looked like a cool guy.”

“Fiiiiinn” Kurt moaned. “Just no, don’t go there.”

“Just saying bro.”

Kurt fell backwards, making an ooomph noise as he bounced “Yes well, it won’t be happening so just drop it.”

Finn made more munching noises then an audible swallow “A guy was asking loads of questions about you the other day, think he might have been a reporter.”

“You didn’t tell him anything did you?” Kurt asked, sitting up quickly.

“Course not bro” Finn replied, sounding slightly affronted. “I gave them my dumb football player routine, totally bought it.”

“So what was he asking?”

“How long you two had been an item, what I thought about you dating someone so much older, where I thought you might be.”

Kurt held his breath “And? What did you say?”

“That I had no idea, love is love so whats a number got to do with anything and that I guessed you’d be heading to your grandma’s house in Albuquerque” Finn replied in a rush.

“My grandmother’s been dead for ten years.”

“Yeah well they don’t know that do they?”

Kurt smiled, then tilted his head in thought “Albuquerque? Why Albuquerque?”

“I’ve always liked the sound of it… Albuuuuuuquerque. I can’t remember where it is but it sounded far away. I figured that it was best to send them in the opposite direction to you.”

“It’s in New Mexico Finn” Kurt replied with a laugh.

There was a loud banging sound followed by a pained grunt “Oh good. Wait that is far right? I got your text but you didn’t say where Puck’s mom lives.”

“I’m in Connecticut.”

Finn made a relieved noise “Good dude, that’s good.”

“So other than your brush with the press how have you been?”

“Umm good.” Finn hesitated “Yeah pretty damn good really.”

“Oh?” Kurt asked. “Do tell.”

“I met someone. She’s amazing.”

“Finny’s in loooove” Kurt sang. “Tell me about her.”

“Dude give it a rest” Finn groaned. “I really like her man, her names Rachel. She kinda reminds me of you actually but like a girl you, a tiny girl you.”

“That’s not creepy and slightly incestuous at all.”

“Gross not like that! I mean she’s into singing and all that Broadway stuff and she’s kinda high maintenance.”

Kurt rolled his eyes “Charming as always Finn.”

“Hey you know me!”

“That I do.”

There were more noises that sounded like Finn was knocking into things “Stay safe bro.”

“You too and…” Kurt paused, letting out a loud sigh “I’m sorry for getting you messed up in all of this.”

“It’s cool, I’ve got your back man.”

Kurt hung up and dropped the phone onto the bed then wandered into the en suite to give his face a quick wash. Making good use of the beautifully packaged products that Abigail had left for him, Kurt emerged feeling much more refreshed and went downstairs deciding that unpacking could wait until later. Everything needed ironing anyway after Puck’s mauling, it wasn’t like a few more hours would do any more harm.

He entered the living room to find the whole family assembled, Abigail in her usual chair by the fireplace, Issy cross legged on the couch glaring across the room at her husband Artie and her brother who were talking next to the window.

“Hello all.”

Artie wheeled around Puck and stuck out a fist “Yo dude, how’s it going?”

Kurt met Puck’s gaze and shrugged “It’s been better.”

Issy snorted “Understatement of the year.”

“That’s enough Isabel” Abigail murmured.

Puck cleared his throat “I said we’d cook.”

Kurt raised and eyebrow “And by we do you mean me?”

Abigail shook her head “I told you that you’ve had a long journey, Kurt doesn’t want to cook.”

“I’m going to cook. Kurt can just supervise or whatever” Puck replied, rolling his eyes.

“Come on then.”

Kurt led the way into the kitchen, holding the door open for Puck before he perched on top of one of the high stools and lent back against the breakfast bar.

“So what are you making?” He paused “Please don’t say waffles.”

Puck snorted and grabbed a pan off the rack “Stir fry dude, can’t really go wrong.”

“Here’s hoping.”

Kurt watched Puck move around the kitchen, surprised by how comfortable he looked given the little cooking he actually did back home.

“What?” Puck asked, catching him staring.

“Nothing” he replied. “It’s just you seem so… I didn’t know you could cook.”

Puck laughed “I used to cook for Issy when mom worked late.”

“But…” Kurt hesitated. “If you can cook why do you ask me over so often?”

Puck stared for a moment then shrugged “Maybe I like the company.”

“Oh” Kurt murmured. “Do you want any help?”

Puck handed him an onion and a knife “Get slicing.”

Kurt sliced into the onion and let out a little groan “These have to be the strongest onions in the world. Admit it you just wanted to see me cry.”

Puck sent him a startled look “That’s the last thing I want.”

Kurt looked up at him, tears pouring out of his eyes “Well it’s too late.”

Puck rolled his eyes “You’re such a wuss. Give me the knife I’ll do it.”

Kurt wiped at his eyes, laughing when he heard Puck say “Fuck this shit.”

“Et toi dear Noah?”

Puck dropped the knife and glared “No.”

Kurt stepped closer until there was only a few inches between them “Liar.”

Puck quickly swiped his sleeve over his eyes then reached out and gently wiped Kurt’s eyes “No one needs to know.”

Kurt barely heard Puck’s whisper, his heart was beating so hard. He rocked forward, eyes on Puck’s lips but was stalled by Abigail's voice steadily growing louder.

Quickly averting his eyes Kurt moved towards the far counter and began to chop the other vegetables.

Abigail stepped into the kitchen, her eyes widening as she glanced between them “Why have you both been crying?”

Puck snorted as he threw the onions into the wok “Don’t be ridiculous mom.”

“I…”

Kurt shook his head, still not looking Puck’s way “Onions”

“Kuuuurt.”

“What? Would you prefer your mom thinking that we’ve been in here crying together?”

Puck made a banging noise as he opened and closed the fridge “It’s just so not badass.”

Kurt stepped aside as Puck lent over him, dropping some cooked chicken into the pan “Strangely enough I don’t spend every waking moment worrying about being a badass.”

Puck shot him an indecipherable look “That’s because it comes naturally to you.”

Turning towards him, Kurt raised a questioning eyebrow “Oh?”

“Yeah dude, you don’t take any shit from no one. You’re the very definition of a badass” he replied matter of factly.

Kurt felt a slow smile spread across his face. “Is that right?” he drawled, stepping closer.

Puck’s eyelids drooped lazily and he returned the smile “Yeah.”

Kurt stared for a moment debating whether or not he should risk leaning forward when he remembered that they weren’t alone. Clearing his throat he took a step back and turned towards the oven, grabbing a pack of noodles and threw them into the wok.

“I think this is almost done.”

Kurt reached into the cabinet and grabbed five plates then opened a few drawers, hunting for some cutlery.

“Carry the wok through, we’ll serve it through there.”

As they walked out of the kitchen followed by Abigail, Kurt heard Puck whisper “What?”

“Mhhhhmm” Abigail replied.

They all took a seat at the dining table where Issy and Artie were waiting for them and began to dig into the food.

“So how long do you think we have?” Issy demanded, pushing the noodles around her plate.

Puck frowned “Huh?”

“Until they realise where you are” Issy explained. “I mean coming home is kind of obvious isn’t it?”

“Where else should we have gone?”

“Anywhere but here.”

Puck slammed a fist down on the table “What is you’re problem?”

“You. You never think of how your whoring about effects the rest of us” she bit out. “Do you know how many times I’ve been followed this week?”

“I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

“No but it is happening and not only have you dragged us all into it but you’ve got Kurt…”

Puck held up a hand “I know.”

Kurt cleared his throat “We’ve already had this discussion, I’m fine. let’s move on.”

“I…”

“Isabel” Abigail warned. “Why don’t you stop and explain why you’re really upset.”

Issy glanced at Artie who shrugged, helping himself to a large second helping of stir fry.

“We were out two days ago and that creepy weirdo followed us.”

“Jacob Ben Isreal?” Puck asked.

Issy nodded “Artie told him to leave us alone and he wouldn’t listen.”

Kurt glanced between them “What happened?”

“Short story, he pushed Artie out of his chair and into the road.”

“What?” Puck demanded “Dude you okay?”

Artie shrugged “Few bruises but otherwise I’m fine.”

“You could have been killed” Issy hissed. “What if a car had come around the corner?”

“Shit, man. I’m so sorry” Puck said, hanging his head. “I didn’t mean for any of you to get caught up in this.”

Kurt leant across and rubbed his leg under the table, linking their fingers when Puck reached under to hold his hand.

“Puck made a mistake but he’s not responsible for the behaviour of that cretin.”

Issy’s head fell backwards and she stared at the ceiling for a while before looking at her brother “I know. Sorry. I was just so sca… it freaked me out. Okay?”

Abigail gave a pained smile as Puck nodded “Let’s put this behind us children and finish dinner.”

After dinner they moved into the living room, Artie quickly switching the TV channel over when the news flashed a video of Puck and Kurt leaving the apartment holding hands.

Puck groaned “If a woman had been in that stall with me no one would care.”

“Certainly not for as long anyway” Artie replied, taking Issy’s hand.

Abigail glared at him “I’d still have cared. You need to…”

“Yeah yeah I know. I need to settle down.”

Abigail grabbed a book off the end table and hit Puck’s arm with it “Don’t ‘yeah yeah’ me boy.”

“Owww mom.”

Kurt laughed as Puck rubbed his arm “Well I think that’s my cue to leave.”

“What? You don’t have to go” Puck replied.

“I’d like to get a bit of work done on my special project before bed.”

Abigail tilted her head “Special project? What special project.”

Kurt left the room, leaving Puck to explain that one. God knew he wouldn’t want to explain it.

__

 

__

  


__

 

_Now everybody asks me why I'm smiling out from ear to ear._

__

Puck grinned as he walked down the corridor, it was a good job that Kurt’s room was at the other end of the house to his mom’s, the kid loved his loud music. In fact going by the volume it was also a good thing that they didn’t have any neighbours for a couple of miles in either direction. He paused when he reached the door and swung it open slowly, not bothering to knock since there was no way in hell Kurt would ever hear.

Kurt’s voice joined Beyonce’s belting out the lyrics as he danced around his room in nothing but skin tight boxer briefs.

_Baby it’s you. _  
_You’re the one I love.  
You’re the one I need._

It looked like he was doing the choreography from the music video and throwing in a few moves of his own. Side stepping a couple of times, Kurt began bouncing up and down doing these cute little forward kicks.

_You’re the only one I see.  
Come on baby it’s you._

Puck’s mouth dropped open as Kurt bent his knees and began to gyrate his hips. Holy fuck that was hot. His eyes didn’t leave Kurt’s ass as he continued to thrust and grind against the air. Not that he would ever admit it but he may have drooled, just a bit.

Just as he began to think that he was going to come in his pants, Kurt spun around letting out a loud shriek as he locked eyes with Puck and tripped over his own feet.

Rushing forward, Puck hauled Kurt to his feet grateful that he was wearing loose jeans as Kurt’s bare chest pressed against his.

“Oh god.”

“Are you okay?” Puck demanded, patting Kurt’s hip.

“What… why… you saw me dancing” Kurt stuttered.

Puck swallowed “Umm yeah, its cool dude everyone does it.”

Kurt groaned then hissed as Puck prodded his right hip a little too firmly and slapped his hand away “That hurts stop it.”

“Let me see.”

“What?” Kurt gasped, taking a step backwards. “No. I’m fine.”

“No you’re not” Puck replied, following him.

“I just bruise like a peach. I’ll be fine.”

Puck’s eyes lingered on Kurt’s pale neck and he shook his head trying to clear thoughts that had no business in his mind.

“You’re going to show me.”

“No I’m not” Kurt replied firmly.

Puck backed him against the desk and took hold of his hips, ignoring the little shudder as he ran his thumb along Kurt’s hip bone. Kurt’s breathing hitched and colour flooded his face as Puck tucked a finger under his waistband and pulled it down in one quick movement.

“It’s already starting to bruise” he murmured, running his fingertips over the blossoming mark.

With a strangled noise, Kurt grabbed his underwear and yanked them up just as Puck began to follow the mark around to his ass cheek. He pushed at Puck’s chest forcing him to take a step backwards.

“Th..Thank you. I don’t think you need to check there.”

Puck smirked watching as Kurt attempted to control his breathing then averted his eyes as Kurt covered his blatant hard-on with a novel. Who knew, the kid was packing.

“I.. I.. I’m going to put some clothes on.”

“Don’t bother on my account” Puck flirted, unable to stop himself.

Kurt blushed even harder and ran into the bathroom locking the door behind him. He emerged a few minutes later in a dark grey long sleeved thermal top and the tightest pants Puck had ever seen. From the looks of it Kurt had taken care of his situation because they certainly didn’t leave much to the imagination. The idea of Kurt jacking off in the bathroom just because Puck had manhandled him a little did more to turn him on than he thought possible.

“Those look like they’re painted on” Puck frowned disapprovingly. Not that he minded Kurt wearing them when they were alone but he didn’t particularly like the idea of anyone else in the house seeing them.

Kurt looked down and shrugged “They’re my yoga pants.”

Puck grunted. “What’s that?” he asked, nodding towards the laptop on the desk.

Kurt lent over and minimised his window “Just research.”

“For my future wife?”

He nodded “Yes. And no you can’t look at it until its finished.”

Puck shrugged his eyes focusing on Kurt’s desktop image “Is that from our trip to London last year?”

Kurt smiled softly “Yes.”

The picture was pretty awesome, they were both grinning up into the camera that Puck was holding with their cheeks pressed against each others. Kurt was tucked under his arm, wearing the cutest hat ever with ear flaps, absolutely beaming with Big Ben in the background covered with a heavy dusting of snow. They had only been there a few days for a business meeting but it had been one of the happiest trips of Puck’s life.

“Awesome trip” Puck said. “We should totally go back, stay a while longer.”

Kurt smiled “I’d like that.”

“Wanna grab some ice cream?”

“Sure.”

Down in the kitchen, Puck grabbed a carton out of the freezer and sat across the table from Kurt who handed him a spoon.

“So how’s the hunt going?” Puck asked. “Got any hot babes on that list of yours?”

Kurt paused, spoon halfway to his mouth and gave a little half shrug “One or two.”

“Thanks for the special project comment by the way, real helpful.”

“No problem!”

Puck grinned “No it’s really not.”

Kurt narrowed his eyes “What have you done?”

“Let’s just say my mom is very concerned and plans to discuss your internet dating and the dangers of strange men with you later.”

“Internet dating?” Kurt snorted “That's the best you came up with? Lame.”

Puck sighed “I just can’t win.”

“Damn right” Kurt smiled, licking his spoon in a way which Puck would have considered purposefully provocative if it wasn’t Kurt.

“So you think you can convince one of those chicks to marry me?”

Kurt’s expression faltered then he gave a small smile “Of course.”

“Yeah?”

“Mmmm” he hummed. “They’d be lucky to.”

“Not according to Issy” Puck snorted. “She thinks I’ll be lucky if I can convince anyone.”

“Issy’s just…”

“A bitch” Puck cut in.

“I was going to go with difficult but yes” Kurt replied.

“She thinks it’s a mistake.” When Kurt didn’t say anything, Puck added “Do you?”

Kurt let out a loud sigh “Yes, no. I don’t know.”

“Kurt..” Puck began, not knowing what he was going to say.

“It doesn’t matter what I think. I said I’d help you and I will.”

Puck frowned “Of course it matters, I take your good opinion for granted.” He shrugged “It’s not like you don’t tell me when you think I’m being an idiot.”

Kurt’s lips twitched “That’s true.”

“So?”

“Will finding you a wife make you happy?” Kurt asked.

No it sure as hell wouldn’t but he couldn’t exactly tell Kurt why could he.

“Yeah I guess, people would get off my back at least.”

Kurt dropped his spoon on the table “Is that the right reason for marriage?”

“Maybe not” Puck retorted. “Why are you helping me if you don’t agree with it?”

Kurt shrugged “You’re my boss and you asked me to.”

“For real?” Puck snapped. “That’s all I am to you.”

Kurt looked away and whispered “No.” He cleared his throat “You’re my best friend. I just want you to be happy.”

“I’m your best friend?”

Kurt rolled his eyes and gave a little shrug “I have almost no time for other friendships.”

“Pfft whatever dude, I’m your best friend” Puck drawled, grinning.

“Lucky me.”

“Damn right” Puck exclaimed, reaching out for a fist bump.

They sat for a while, finishing off the rest of the ice cream and chatting about nothing in particular until after a few minutes of silence Kurt rested his head on the table and began to snore.

Puck walked around the table and manoeuvred Kurt into his arms, scooping him up bridal style. Careful not to bang Kurt’s head on the door he edged his way out of the kitchen and slowly carried Kurt upstairs.

Nudging open the bedroom door, he shifted Kurt slightly higher in his arms then lay him on his bed or at least he tried to. Kurt held on tightly, wrapping his arms around Puck and buried his face into Puck’s check, mumbling something that sounded a lot like "Mine."

"Yeah baby, yours" Puck whispered, gently pushing Kurt back onto the bed as he tucked the blanket around him.

__

  


_  
_

Kurt looked up from the table as Puck wandered into the room yawning “Morning sleepy head.”

Puck shuffled to the table and grabbed the sugar puffs “Someone kept me up.”

“With my stimulating conversation?”

Kurt received a grunt in reply a second before Puck began shovelling cereal into his mouth. Pushing his bowl away Kurt bit his lip and stared.

“Whaaa?”

“Umm… I don’t remember going to bed last night” Kurt said.

“You wouldn’t” Puck mumbled, mouth full. “You fell asleep down here.”

“Then how..?”

“I carried you obviously” Puck replied.

Kurt’s eyes widened “I’m too heavy.”

Puck shrugged “Evidently not.”

“You two are starting to sound like each other. It’s creepy” Issy said, pulling on her coat as she came through the door. “Ready Kurt? Mom’s getting the car started.”

“Car?” Puck asked, his head whipping between the two of them. “Where you going?”

“Issy and your mom suggested going to the spa for a few hours” Kurt said, pushing his bangs out of his eyes. “Unwind a bit.”

Puck cleared his throat “Yeah, sounds like a good plan.” He poured himself another bowl “Have fun.”

Kurt awkwardly patted him on the shoulder as he passed “Back soon.”

Closing the front door behind himself, Kurt followed Issy out into the sunshine and climbed into the back of Abigail’s Volvo.

“I feel bad leaving him” Kurt murmured as they pulled out of the drive and onto the road.

Issy snorted “If anyone deserves your sympathy it’s not Noah.”

“Isabelle” Abigail warned. “Behave.”

Kurt glared “You didn’t see him on the journey here. You didn’t hear the things people have said to him on the street. You don’t…” He swallowed “You don’t know how badly it’s affected him.”

Issy turned in her seat and stared at him for a moment, her expression unreadable before she nodded slightly “I guess I don’t.”

“I know things have been difficult but just back off him okay?”

She glanced towards her mom and they shared a small smile “I can do that.”

Kurt stared out of the window watching the scenery flicker past until after a short drive they pulled up at the spa. Waiting for Abigail to hand her keys over to the valet, Kurt followed the ladies smiling gratefully at the receptionist as she lead them into their room.

Five minutes later, he sighed happily as Melody the masseuse ran her fingers through his hair massaging gently.

“So are you two together yet or what?” Issy asked from his right.

“Hmmm?” Kurt asked, cracking open one eye.

“You and my brother. I mean it’s so obviously that you’re into each other” Issy replied. “Is it official now or what?”

“Subtle as usual” Abigail groaned from his left.

Kurt’s eyes widened “It’s not like that.”

Issy snorted “Sure it’s not.”

“No really, I mean I do.. but of course he doesn’t and... just no.”

“Hold still please” Melody asked in her super calm voice as she began to sweep her hands over his face.

“All I know is I’ve never seen him like he is when he’s with you with anyone else.”

Kurt began to shake his head then held it still as Melody tutted “He thinks of me as a kid. Not.. nothing more.”

“Mmmm” Abigail hummed. “Maybe you should show him that you’re not.”

“What do you suggest?” he asked hesitantly.

“We could try something with your hair” Issy suggested.

“My hair?” Kurt squeaked, reaching up to touch his bangs. “I’m not having a Mohawk. I don’t care how much I lo…. like him.”

“Heaven forbid” Abigail muttered. “I can barely put up with one person in my family having one.”

“Would you like me to move onto your back?” Melody asked as she wiped Kurt’s face clean.

“Yes, thank you” Kurt replied sitting up, pulling his robe down to waist level.

Issy whistled “Woah Kurt, who knew?”

“What?” he asked self consciously, quickly lying on his front.

“Here I was thinking you were just a skinny kid but hell those are some killer abs.”

Kurt blushed “I used to do a lot of dance.”

“Leave the poor boy alone” Abigail ordered. “I think we should try pushing your bangs up into a quiff.”

“Really?” Kurt asked hesitantly.

“Trust me.”

_  
_

  


_  
_

Puck slumped down on the couch next to Artie’s chair and groaned.

“Yo man, that’s really distracting” Artie muttered, biting his lip as he let the alien scum on the screen have it.

Puck groaned even louder and wriggled a bit.

“Jeeez what?” Artie demanded, pausing his game.

“I want Kurt” Puck admitted.

Artie sighed “Yeah and?”

Puck raised both eyebrows “You’re not surprised?”

“Hardly” Artie replied, dropping the controller onto the couch. “Hungry?”

Shrugging Puck followed him into the kitchen and lent against the wall as Artie dug through the freezer.

“Dude what happened to all the ice cream?”

Puck avoided eye contact “Uhh no idea.”

Artie let out a disappointed huff then rolled back into the living room.

“Can we stay in one room?” Puck moaned, dropping onto the couch again.

“I really don’t wanna have this conversation” Artie replied, sighing again. “But somehow I think we’re gunna have it whether I want to or not.”

“You’re a wise man” he said. “I just don't know what to do.”

Artie gave him a look “Yeah you do.”

“Huh?”

“Man up dude and ask Kurt out.”

Puck flung himself back on the couch and groaned again “He’s only nineteen.”

Artie shrugged “A number seems like a stupid reason not to be happy.”

Grunting a response, Puck sulked as Artie restarted his game then mumbled “Am I that obvious?”

With a heavy sigh, Artie paused the game again “Okay let’s look at the evidence…”

Puck sat forward “Evidence?”

“Are we going to do this or what?” Artie asked.

“Go on.”

“You cancelled a meeting with Sue Sylvester because Kurt called upset about his dad eating slim jims. Sue frikkin Sylvester.”

Puck shook his head “He was really upset, I couldn’t just hang up on him.”

Artie stared for a moment “Okay so how about the time you ditched your date with that model because he had locked himself in the toilet of a club and wanted someone to come get him?”

“He was hiding from some pervy dude, what the hell man? I couldn’t leave him.”

“Uhuh” Artie replied. ““And then there’s the time you answered the phone in the middle of sex because it was Kurt’s ring tone.”

“Yeah but…” Puck shrugged “Okay I’ll give you that one.”

Artie adjusted his suspenders “Whenever you go on business trips you take Kurt and you never take anyone back to your room.”

“It’s usually a suite, that would be a bit in your face and he’s….”

“Just a kid” Artie finished for him. “That excuse is wearing thin, he’s almost twenty.”

“If that’s all you’ve got…”

Artie laughed “Hell no dude, I’m just getting started.” He thought for a second then nodded “You let him eat sugary churros in your Lamborghini. Forget that, you let him drive your Lamborghini.”

Puck rolled his eyes “Sometimes I get tired, its good to let someone else take over.”

“Funny how you don’t let anyone else drive it.”

“That’s not even…” Puck shook his head “You don’t think he knows do you?”

“Dude hasn’t a clue.”

Puck let out a relieved breath then narrowed his eyes at Artie’s expression “What?”

“Nothing” he replied, twisting his mouth.

“I know that look and it’s not nothing.”

Artie spun his chair so that they were facing each other “I was just wondering when you were going to realise that you and Kurt are already in a relationship.”

“Huh?” Puck asked, completely stunned.

“He cooks at your apartment, you hang out outside of work all the time, you take him for days out, you take him with you to dinner with clients when you don’t need him. Come on Puck you’re practically married and you don’t even realise it.”

“We don’t have sex” Puck blurted.

“Neither do most married people!”

Puck raised an eyebrow.

“Not us, I mean we’re at it all the time…”

“Eww dude! That’s my sister.”

“You asked.”

Puck fake retched “Won’t make that mistake again.” He grabbed Artie’s beer off the coffee table and took a swig “If I’m so obvious why doesn’t he say anything?”

“Coz he’s as stupid as you.” Artie gave him a pained look “Can this conversation be over now?”

Puck put the beer down and grabbed a controller “Doubles?”

_  
_

  


 

“Hello boys.”

Puck looked up from the screen and glanced at the clock, surprised when he realised that they had been playing for an hour longer than he had thought.

“Hey Ma, Issy” he replied, dropping the controller onto the coffee table. “You have fun?”

His mom sank down onto the couch opposite “It was divine.”

Puck gave Issy a cautious look as she sat down next to him and gave him a somewhat friendly nod “Where’s Kurt?”

“In his room, he wanted to wash out his hair.”

Puck swallowed as Artie caught his eye and nodded “I need to talk to him about something. I umm I’ll just go do that then.”

“Why is he being so weird?” Issy asked as he left the room.

Jogging up the stairs, Puck slowed as he reached Kurt’s room and knocked. When he didn’t get a response he knocked again then stuck his head around the door. A quick glance around and Kurt was no where to be seen but he’s voice was definitely coming from the bathroom. Puck hesitated then stepped into the room, laughing at himself slightly, he’d never felt this unsure of himself in his entire life.

Letting out a whoosh of breath, Puck shook it off and moved towards the bathroom. His eyes widened as he stepped into the room, instead of seeing Kurt bent over the sink he was lying in the bath, naked except for a few bubbles which hid absolutely nothing.

Kurt’s voice faltered mid note, his eyes widening when he noticed Puck’s presence. He stared back for a couple of seconds then made a funny gargling noise before he sunk lower into the water, his hands reaching down to cup himself.

“Puck.. Wh..what are you doing?”

Puck opened his mouth then closed it, attempted to speak again and failed so shrugged helplessly instead.

“Leave, you need to leave.”

He nodded then finally found his voice “Sorry, I… I wanted to talk to you. I didn’t know…”

The red in Kurt’s cheeks deepened “Puck you need to go. Now isn’t a convenient time for a chat.”

“Yeah, yeah course” Puck replied, unable to stop his eyes from trailing their way down Kurt’s toned and surprisingly muscular form until reaching his cupped hands.

Colour now spreading across his chest Kurt tried to sink lower “Puck I’m naked.”

Yeah. He’d noticed.

“Course. Sorry I bothered you” he muttered, bumping into the door frame as he left.

Running his hand over his face, Puck sat down on the edge of the bed and groaned. Forget it, he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t have that conversation now, not after seeing Kurt naked. It was obvious that Puck was hot for him and with his reputation if he asked him out now Kurt would think that he only wanted him for his body.

A swooshing noise came from the bathroom “Puck?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m taking a bath” Kurt said loudly. “Whatever it is It’ll have to wait.”

Puck glanced up at the ceiling “I know you’re taking a bath dude.”

“Then why are you still in my room?”

The noise came again and all Puck could think about was Kurt, naked with beads of water running down his chest to his… Oh fuck.

“Please stop” he gasped.

The bathroom went quiet “Stop what?”

“Swooshing the water around.”

“Are you feeling okay?” Kurt asked. “You’re being very odd.”

Puck got up and walked across to the bedroom door “See you later.”

Following the sound of the piano and Artie’s rapping into the music room, Puck shut the door behind him and sat down next to Issy.

“Kurt not coming?” Issy asked.

“No he’s busy.”

Puck’s mom gave a final flourish on the piano and high fived Artie who wheeled over and asked “How’d it go dude?”

“How did what go?”

Glancing at Issy, Puck gave Artie a look and shook his head slightly “Didn’t happen.”

“Dude” Artie chastised.

“Wasn’t a good time.”

Issy sighed dramatically “I don’t know why you’re being so secretive. You know that Artie’s going to cave when I grill him later.”

Puck grabbed her glass off the table and took a large gulp, ignoring her glare “Yeah I know. Just don’t… not now.”

“Okay” Issy replied quietly, awkwardly patting him on the leg before she grabbed her glass off him.

  


_  
_

Poking his head around the door, Kurt checked that the room was definitely empty before he left the bathroom.Taking his time to dress, he tried to delay the inevitable moment when he was going to have to look Puck in the eye again. Pulling his jeans over his hips, he tucked in his shirt and let out a shuddering breath. He had never been so mortified, Puck had seen him naked, completely and utterly naked. Up until that moment, Kurt had thought that being caught dancing in his underwear had been embarrassing but it didn’t even compare to how he felt now.

Although he really didn’t want to have the conversation he was about to have, it seemed preferable to get one slightly less awkward discussion out of the way and put off the even more awkward moment he was going to have with Puck. Digging around in his bag he pulled out his cell and dialled home, half hoping that his dad was out and half wishing that he would be on the phone for hours.

“Kurt?”

Kurt sat on the edge of the desk “Yes dad, it’s me.”

“What the hell is going on?” his dad demanded. “Do you know what I’m reading in the papers about you?”

“Yes dad, I’m sorry.”

“Is it true?” he asked, his voice strained. “Are you involved with your boss? He’s thirty for god’s sake Kurt.”

“He’s only twenty nine dad” Kurt began.

“I’m less concerned about his age and more about his reputation.”

Kurt ruffled slightly “He may not have the best reputation but he’s a good man dad.”

There was a groan from the other end of the line “So it is true. I’ve got to say Kurt I’m disappointed, I never thought you’d be one to sleep with your boss.”

“I’m not sleeping with my boss!” Kurt yelled, freezing when he realised how loud he’d been. When there was no response from his dad or anyone else in the house, he hissed “It’s not true okay?”

“Really?”

“We’re just friends” Kurt explained trying to calm down. “It was all circumstantial. There’s absolutely nothing going on between us.”

His dad let out a relieved sounding breath “I’m glad to hear it.”

Kurt made a non-committal noise “So yes, I was just ringing to let you know that it wasn’t true and that I’m not in New York.”

“Where are you? Finn said something about Albuquerque to Carole but she couldn’t understand what he was talking about.”

Kurt smiled slightly at the thought of Finn rambling on about his rouse “I’m in Connecticut with Puck and his family.”

His dad didn’t respond for a while “I see.”

Kurt sighed “No you don’t. I promise Puck doesn’t think of me in that way, we’re just lying low until the press looses interest.”

“Kurt I saw the way you were looking at each other in those photos.”

“What do you mean?” Kurt asked.

“Never mind” his dad replied with a heavy sigh. “Let me ask you something, how long are you going to keep yourself in this messed up situation?”

“I don’t understand” Kurt said. “It’s not my fault the press have jumped to ridiculous conclusions.”

“Not that, I mean how much longer are you going to put your life on hold so you can moon over Puckerman.”

“Dad?” he whispered.

“Kurt, I was all for you taking a year out and getting some experience in the real world but enoughs enough.”

“This is a good opportunity.”

“It was a good opportunity” his dad said. “Now it’s holding you back. It’s been eighteen months, you should be going to college or auditioning for those Broadway things not making gogo eyes over your boss.”

“Dad don’t…” Kurt begged.

“Kurt, I know you. I can tell when you’re head over heels in love with someone.”

Kurt dropped into the chair and pushed his hair out of his eyes “What should I do?”

“You need to do what’s best for you.”

“I have to go dad” Kurt replied, clearing his throat.

Sitting quietly for a few minutes, he closed his eyes. He was not exactly happy the way things were but he was happier with Puck than he had ever been. The thought of not having that anymore was almost unbearable. Pushing the conversation with his dad to the back of his mind, Kurt’s mind started to replay the bath incident again. Moaning out loud Kurt shook his head, attempting to shake the memory out of his head.

Gathering up his courage and hoping that he wasn’t going to flush bright red in front of everyone, Kurt slowly made his way downstairs, pausing outside the music room when he heard voices.

“Kurt, darling! There you are” Puck’s mom called as he came into the room. “Come sing with me.”

Kurt glanced at Puck through his lashes and hurried over to the piano “Okay.”

Abigail played a few notes then stopped when Kurt didn’t begin to sing “Everything okay?”

Kurt nodded “I think I’ve just come to a decision that I should have made a long time ago.”

Abigail smiled questioningly “What’s that dear?”

“Shall we try again?”

Fingers dancing across the piano, Abigail played the intro again and Kurt began to sing.

_But that’s why birds do it, Bees do it, Even educated fleas do it._

Kurt faltered slightly as Puck approached the piano and lent against the side.

_Let’s do it, let’s fall in love._

“Lovely dear, just lovely!” Abigail exclaimed as he finished. “I think I’ll get a drink.”

Watching her walk away, Kurt glanced nervously at Puck before taking her seat in front of the piano.

He played a few random notes then began to play one of his favourite songs without really thinking about it, glancing up in surprise when Puck started singing.

_Moon river, wider than a mile  
I’m crossing you in style some day_

Puck moved around the piano and sat next to him, his leg pressing firmly against Kurt’s.

_Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker  
Wherever you’re goin’, i’m goin’ your way_

Kurt looked down at the keys, his voice joining Puck’s for the next verse

_Two drifters, off to see the world  
There’s such a lot of world to see_

He smiled as Puck bumped their shoulders and gave a little bump of his own.

_We’re after the same rainbow’s end, waitin’ ’round the bend  
My huckleberry friend, moon river, and me_

Turning slightly so he could see Puck’s face, Kurt’s eyes dropped to his lips then quickly looked away. His dad was right, he was so screwed.

“So about earlier” Puck mumbled.

“Can we not talk about it?” Kurt asked flushing.

“I didn’t see anything” Puck blurted.

Kurt narrowed his eyes “You’re a terrible liar.”

Puck shrugged “You’ve got nothing to be embarrassed about, you’ve got an amazing body.”

“Oh?”

Puck’s eyes slowly moved down his body “Yeah.”

“What do you boys think?” Abigail asked from across the room.

Kurt tore his eyes away from Puck “Sorry?”

“We’re thinking pizza for dinner.”

“Awesome” Puck replied, getting up from the piano.

Kurt stood and began to edge his way out of the room “I have a bit of work to finish. Give me a shout when it arrives?”

Puck frowned “Can’t it wait?”

Kurt shook his head “I really want to get it finished, I’m almost done.”

Hurrying out of the room before anyone could argue with him, Kurt went straight to his bedroom and sat down at the desk. A few minutes later he let out a shuddering breath and sniffed, it was done.

If he was honest with himself the hunt for Puck’s potential wife had been over for a while, Kurt had just been shifting commas and correcting the grammar in a futile attempt to put off the inevitable. It had actually been fairly easy to write considering how few suitable candidates there were that would be open to such an offer. What he had just written on the other hand had been the hardest thing he had ever done.

Taking his portable hard drive into the office he printed out his report and tucked it into a folder. After hesitating for a moment he also printed the letter he had written and placed it on top of the folder. Once he had returned the hard drive and paperwork to his room he wandered downstairs answering the door on his way, smiling at his perfect timing.

Once he had paid the delivery man, he carried the pizza boxes into the music room and spread them across the coffee table “Dinner is served.”

Artie looked up in surprise “I didn’t even hear the bell.”

“Probably coz Issy was screeching, oh sorry singing” Puck winced, laughing when his sister hit him. “Everything okay dude?”

Kurt nodded, not trusting his voice and reached forward for a slice of pizza.

_  
_

  


_  
_

A few hours later Puck slammed his bedroom door behind him and tugged off his shirt, stretching as he kicked off his shoes. He paused halfway through unbuttoning his jeans and turned towards the door, sure that he had heard a faint knock. Swinging open the door he found Kurt standing there shifting nervously, his arm wrapped around a yellow folder.

“Kurt?”

Kurt glance down the hall then back at Puck “Can I come in?”

“Course” Puck said, moving aside. “Something wrong?”

He handed over the yellow folder with shaking hands “I finished.”

“Oh” Puck mumbled. “Great, that’s great.”

Flipping the folder open, his eyes skimmed over what looked to be a letter. Frowning he dropped the folder onto the bed and held onto the letter, his hands crumpling it at the edges as he began to understand what it was.

“What the hell is this?” Puck angrily demanded.

“It’s my resignation” Kurt whispered.

Puck screwed up the paper and dropped it on the floor “I can see that.”

“I just can’t do this anymore.”

“Can’t do what?” Puck asked. “What have I done?”

“Nothing.”

“It’s because of this press shit isn’t it?” Puck shook his head “It won’t last forever, you know that.”

“It’s not that, I have to do this.”

Puck took a step closer, letting out a frustrated noise when Kurt stepped backwards “What can I do to make you stay?”

Kurt shook his head “I’ve decided to leave and that’s that.”

“I don’t accept” Puck replied stubbornly. “You’re mine.”

Kurt raised an eyebrow “I don’t belong to you.”

“It’s Evans isn’t it? He’s asked you to join his company, he threatened that he would but I didn’t think he’d stoop so low.” Puck knew it, Evans was a total underhanded dick. “I’ll ruin him.”

Kurt shook his head “It’s not about Sam, it’s not because of anyone.”

“Then what the fuck Kurt?” Puck demanded. “Why are you leaving?”

“It’s for personal reasons.”

“And they are?” When Kurt didn’t answer Puck shook his head “You said I was your best friend, hell you said I was your only one.”

“I’m not yours” Kurt muttered.

“You’re leaving me because I have more friends than you?” Puck demanded, letting out an exasperated sigh.

Kurt glared at him “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“You are my best friend” he admitted reluctantly.

“No, I’m not.”

Puck looked heavenward in frustration, fuck he so didn’t want to have this conversation.

“Okay so you’re more than that.”

“It’s doesn’t matter” Kurt murmured.

“I’m really into you okay?” Puck ground out. “You made me say it. Are you happy now?”

Kurt’s eyes widened but he didn’t reply, he just shook his head slightly. Completely frustrated and at the end of his tether, Puck gave in to what he had wanted to do for months. Reaching out he grabbed Kurt by the back of the neck, pulling him close until their lips crashed together.

Just as suddenly soft hands pushed against his bare chest and Kurt’s fist slammed into his jaw.

“What the fuck Kurt?” Puck grunted.

“How dare you?” Kurt bit out. He frowned and shook his head “You can’t do something like that and not expect me to...” Kurt paused, his voice becoming calmer “You can’t do that.”

Quickly spinning around, he hurried out of the room without a backwards glance leaving Puck to nurse his already swollen jaw.

_  
_

  


 

The next morning Puck glanced up from the waffle pan and nodded at Artie who pulled a face at him.

“What’s with your face dude?”

“Kurt punched me” he replied shrugging.

“What did you do?” Artie asked, eyes widening

“I told him I liked him, guess he doesn’t feel the same” Puck sighed, wincing as he rested his cheek on his hand.

“How you tell him?” he asked. “You must’ve done it wrong.”

“I kissed him.” Puck sighed “He handed in his notice.”

“I didn’t think you were that bad.”

Shooting his brother in law and supposed friend a glare, he gritted his teeth then groaned as pain shot through his jaw.

“I’m not. He handed it in before I kissed him.”

“Sucks either way.”

Kurt slipped into the kitchen nodding at Artie as he wheeled past and out of the room. Sitting at the table he poured himself some cereal and stared into his bowl until Puck stepped closer and held out a waffle.

Kurt glanced towards the offering then finally looked up at Puck, his eyes widened “Oh my g- your jaw!”

“Yeah you’ve got quite a right hook” Puck drawled.

“I.. I didn’t realise.” He reached out then pulled back last second “I’m sorry, I didn’t intend to hurt you that badly.”

Puck shrugged “Looks worse than it is.”

Kurt shook his head “And I thought that I bruise like a peach.”

Puck cleared his throat and sat down opposite Kurt “About what happened.”

“It’s…”

“No” Puck interrupted. “Let me finish.”

Kurt closed his mouth and nodded.

“I shouldn’t have kissed you like that” Puck began. “We were arguing and it wasn’t cool to spring that on you.”

“It’s okay.”

“No it’s not, I forced myself on you and I should have known better” Puck said. “I’m older and bigger than you and it was wrong.”

Kurt’s looked upset for a moment then his expression became unreadable “I see.”

“You don’t need to worry about it happening again” Puck promised. “I’ll never touch you like that again.”

“You won’t?”

“We’ll just try and forget it ever happened.”

“I’m not sure I can” Kurt admitted.

Puck closed his eyes “Please.”

“Okay, if that’s what you want” he replied quietly.

“What happened to your face Noah?” his mom asked, wandering into the room with Issy trailing behind her.

“Nothing Ma.”

Issy shrugged “I think it’s a big improvement.”

Puck’s mom grabbed his face and twisted it making pain shoot through his jaw then glanced at a guilty looking Kurt “Mhmmm.”

“Stop oww Ma let go.”

Turning her attention to the mess he had left on the counter she exclaimed “What on earth have you done to the waffle maker?”

“Noah happened, I’ll bet” Issy replied, pouring coffee into four mugs handing them each a cup, except Puck, before she disappeared with hers and Artie’s.

Puck shrugged, ignoring his mom as she tutted and began to scrub at the waffle maker.

“I was telling the truth you know?”

Kurt glanced up from delicately picking at his waffle, dipping it into his coffee “Telling the truth about what?”

“You really are my best friend.”

“Sure” he replied, not sounding particularly convinced.

Frowning, Puck pivoted in his chair “Ma, hey MA!”

“What?” she asked in a long suffering tone.

“Who's my best friend?”

His mom turned and gave him a strange look “Don't you know?”

“Of course I know. Just humour me.”

“Kurt” she said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“See.”

Kurt dipped his head, clearly trying to hid a smile “It doesn’t change anything.”

“What if I offered you a position, any position you wanted in fact, in our interior design department?” Puck asked testing the waters.

“As tempting as that is, I have to decline” he replied looking slightly torn.

“How about this? I’ll pay for you to go to any New York based college and you can study anything you want as long as you stay on part time.”

“Puck…”

“You’d be debt free.”

Kurt shook his head “You know I can’t accept that. It’s too much.”

“It’s not” Puck insisted. “I mean I’d pay for you to go if we were dating. I don’t see a difference.”

“We’re not dating though” Kurt reminded. “It is different.”

“What do you want, anything you want I’ll give it to you.”

“I don’t think you would.”

Puck lent forward “Try me.”

Kurt hesitated then shook his head “This was only ever supposed to be for a year or so.”

“It doesn’t have to be.”

“I think it does.”

“But I need you” Puck admitted. “Who’s going to tell me what not to wear or tell me off for not using a coaster or all the other things you do.”

Kurt rolled his eyes “We’ll still be friends doofus.”

“We will?”

“Course. We just won’t see as much of each other.” Kurt sighed “Can we just enjoy your birthday weekend and talk about something else.”

Puck nodded “So where did you learn to punch like that?”

Kurt grinned “I learnt from the best.”

Puck shot him a nervous look “Is this going to be another frikkin terrifying story about your dad?”

“Maybe.”

Leaning across the table, Puck grabbed a bit of Kurt’s waffle and swallowed it quickly “Lets get out of here, go for a drive some place.”

Kurt smiled “Sounds like a plan.” He quickly finished his coffee and stood up “I’ll be right back.”

_  
_

  


 

Up in his room Kurt changed his sweater for a slightly thicker one and wrapped a scarf around his neck his mind replaying Puck’s apology. It would never happen again. Kurt sighed, Puck had only kissed him in an attempt to make him stay, nothing more. No matter how humiliating it was that Puck knew that Kurt was attracted to him at least he hadn’t guessed the truth.

Reaching for his bag, Kurt swallowed his heartache and went downstairs wondering if he should just have kissed Puck back since it was the only chance he would get.

“Shoulda, coulda, woulda” Kurt muttered, pausing in the kitchen doorway, his lips twitching as he watched Puck.

“I want your ugly, your disease… anything as long as it’s free… I need your love” Puck sang, slapping the final slice of bread on top of some sandwiches.

“Ahem.”

Puck spun around, a faint blush colouring his cheeks “Oh hey, you were quick.”

Kurt raised an eyebrow “I think you’ve been spending too much time with me.”

“Don’t be stupid dude” Puck muttered. “It’s a catchy tune.”

Kurt smirked “Uhuh.”

Puck wrapped up the sandwiches and grabbed some bottled water out of the fridge, hesitating before he picked up the biscuits on the counter and dropped his stash into a cooler bag.

“Ready?”

Following Puck out to the garage, Kurt hesitated when he saw a car draped in a protective cover parked just left of the sixteen car garage.

Following Kurt’s gaze, Puck wandered over to the car and dropped the bag beside it “So I ordered something a while ago that I think you might like.”

“Oh?”

Puck lent over, untying the string that ran underneath the car and pulled the cover off.

“Oh my… it’s Bumblebee!” Kurt exclaimed.

Puck laughed “Technically it’s a 1977 Chevy Camaro but yeah it’s like the transformer.”

Kurt jumped from side to side “You didn’t say a word.”

“I thought it’d be a nice surprise.”

Kurt grinned “Can I drive?”

Puck pretended to think about it then held out the keys “Go on then.”

Kurt slid into the drivers seat, barely waiting for Puck to climb in with their picnic before he started the engine and peeled down the driveway. They tore down the country roads until Kurt pulled into a lay-by and turned in his seat, unthinkingly throwing his arms around Puck.

Puck laughed “So I take it you like the car?”

Blushing Kurt let go and cleared his throat “It’s the best one you’ve bought so far. I love Bumblebee!”

“I know” Puck smiled. “I don’t let just anyone drive my cars before I get a chance to you know?”

Kurt flushed guiltily “Now I feel bad.” He smiled “Okay I’m over it now.”

Rolling his eyes Puck stared at him for a moment “So you like it more than the Lamborghini?”

“No question” Kurt replied running his hands over the steering wheel. “This is a work of art.”

Puck smiled “It’s yours.”

“What?”

“I bought it for you” Puck explained. “It was supposed to be your twentieth birthday present but I couldn’t wait.”

“Puck” Kurt whispered feeling completely shell shocked. “I can’t… it’s too much.”

“Of course you can” Puck shrugged. “Consider it an early birthday present.”

Kurt gaped “Flowers are an appropriate gift or a nice scarf not a vintage car.”

“I’m trying here Kurt” Puck whispered.

“Trying what?”

He shook his head “I… I.. Never mind. I just thought you might like it.”

Kurt swallowed “I do but it’s too much.”

“I’ll keep hold of it in case you change your mind” Puck murmured, staring out of the window.

Kurt sighed, he wanted to keep the car more than anything. Well not more than anything, if he had to choose between keeping the car or having Puck there wasn’t a question but god did he want to keep it. He closed his eyes for a moment breathing in the perfect smell of the car mixing with Puck’s cologne and almost caved.

Shaking his head he started the engine and began to drive without thinking. Eventually Kurt pulled up at the side of the road, he waited for Puck to grab the bag then began to hike up the bank until they reached a large tree. Kurt took the blanket and spread it out, tucking his feet under himself as he dug through the bag.

Puck sprawled out on the blanket, carelessly munching his way through his sandwich as Kurt nibbled at his.

“I guess nothing I do will make you stay if you’d turn that car down” Puck said with his mouthful.

Kurt wrinkled his nose at the sight of half eaten sandwich “No nothing.”

Puck sighed “Promise me we’ll still hang out and stuff sometimes.”

“Of course.”

Throwing the crusts of his sandwich into the grass, Puck lay on his side shuffling forward until his head was resting on Kurt’s thigh. Unable to help himself, Kurt’s hand moved down to Puck’s head and began to pet his mohawk.

Puck gave a little shudder than narrowed his eyes “Are you wiping chutney on my head?”

“Yep” Kurt teased.

Puck didn’t say anything for a while, seemingly content to make purring noises as Kurt ran his fingers through his stripe of hair.

“Kurt?”

“Mmmm?”

“Do you… do you ever think about us?” Puck asked hesitantly.

Kurt swallowed “W-what do you mean?”

Puck rolled onto his side and propped himself up on his elbow “Do you think if you’d been older… I dunno. That something might have happened between us.”

“Older” Kurt repeated faintly. It always came down to the age difference didn’t it? “I think we’d be really good friends” he lied.

“Oh Okay.” Puck looked up at the sky as the first few drops of rain fell and mumbled “I think that’s our cue to leave.”

Bundling the blanket into his arms, Kurt followed Puck to the car and climbed inside slowly pulling out into the lane. He drove for a few miles until he had to pause as a stop sign where he lent forward to stare at the dark clouds above their heads.

Half an hour later Kurt pulled up in front of Puck’s house and slowly manoeuvred the car into the garage.

“I don’t think I’m going to enjoy this” Kurt said, looking out of the door at the sheet of rain in front of them.

Puck shot him a wicked grin “Race you.”

“You’re on.”

Running straight into the downpour Kurt squealed as Puck pulled him back by his sweater and ran past. Hurrying to catch up, Kurt jumped onto his back laughing as Puck spun around in a circle until he slid off. Just as he thought he might make it into the house safely, Puck kicked at a puddle soaking Kurt head to toe, shrieking when Kurt jumped straight into the puddle drenching them both.

“You little!”

Kurt ran away laughing hysterically, gasping for breath as Puck wrapped an arm around his waist from behind and picked him up dragging him back towards the puddle.

“No no don’t!” Kurt screamed.

Struggling to keep Kurt moving, Puck shifted sweeping one arm under his legs until he was carrying Kurt bridal style across the courtyard.

“One……. Two…… Three….” Puck chanted, swinging Kurt towards the puddle.

Letting out a loud squeak, Kurt clamped his arms around Puck’s neck hanging on tightly even as his legs were dropped. What he didn’t expect was that Puck sensing that Kurt wasn’t about to let go, just sat down right in the middle of the puddle without warning, forcing Kurt down with him.

“Puck” Kurt gasped. “You….”

Puck grinned “Yeah yeah let me guess, you’re pants are dry clean only.”

“Well yes” Kurt admitted. “But I was going to say you deserve this.”

“Deserve wha..?” Puck asked, pausing mid sentence as Kurt pushed him backwards and splashed water over his face.

Kurt giggled climbing to his feet and reached out a hand. Puck took it and pulled hard, making Kurt fall on top of him then roll straight into the water. Snorting Puck unsteadily got to his feet then reached down to help Kurt up.

“Uhuh like I’d trust you now.”

The next thing he knew, Puck had his hands under Kurt’s armpits and he was being hauled to his feet. He stood shivering on the doorstep as Puck dug through his pockets searching for his keys until he gave up and banged loudly on the door.

Abigail answered it a few seconds later, raising her eyebrows “What on earth have you two been up to?”

“Nothing” Puck shrugged.

They went their separate ways on the landing, Kurt smiling as he stood dripping in his en suite waiting for the water to heat up. Dropping his clothes on the floor he made a mental note to use Puck’s credit card to pay for his dry cleaning and stepped into the shower.

“He fills my heart with very special things” Kurt sang lathering up his hair. “With angels songs with wild imaginings.”

“Kurt?” Puck’s voice called through the door.

Kurt froze quickly cupping himself in case there was a repeat of the bath incident “Umm yes?”

“I’ve brought you some coffee. I’ll leave it on the desk.”

“Okay, thank you” Kurt replied, waiting to hear the bedroom door close then bit his lip when it didn’t. “Puck?”

“Yeah?”

“What are you doing?”

Footsteps moved closer to the bathroom door but it didn’t open “I just put your yoga pants and a t shirt on the radiator to warm up.”

“Oh” Kurt called. “Thanks.”

“Okay, I’m going now” Puck shouted.

Kurt let out a breath as he heard the door close and rinsed off. Quickly wrapping a towel around his waist he stepped into the bedroom and gravitated straight to his coffee. Sipping it slowly he allowed himself to air dry for a few minutes then gave himself a quick rub down. Slipping his yoga pants on, he ran the towel through his hair a couple of times then pulled on the t shirt that Puck had bought him at the motor show.

Taking his coffee with him, Kurt wandered downstairs into the living room where he found everyone except Puck.

As if reading his mind Artie said “He’s in the shower.”

Kurt frowned and sat next to Abigail, Puck must have made him coffee and come into his room before he had even warmed up himself.

Tucking his legs under him he listened to Issy explaining to Artie the reasons why he shouldn’t be wearing a belt and suspenders until Abigail reached over and patted his hand.

“Everything okay?”

“Yes, no. I don’t know” Kurt admitted.

Abigail gave him a sympathetic look “Artie told me you handed in your notice.”

“I have to” Kurt whispered. “It’s too much.”

She nodded “I understand but there’s always the party tomorrow.”

“I don’t know.”

“Just see what happens?”

Kurt made a none committal noise and sighed “No Artie, I cannot condone your strange fashion sense. There is no excuse for pairing a belt and suspenders in one outfit.”

“Thank you” Issy exclaimed.

“Whatever you know I’m fly” Artie replied. “Hey Puck dude, you think my style is dope don’t you?”

“Errr sure.”

Kurt spun around and smiled as Puck sat next to him “Thanks for before.”

Puck shrugged “It’s cool.”

Kurt shifted on the couch, leaning forward to rest his cup on the coffee table “It was really nice of you.”

Puck swallowed hard his eyes focused on Kurt’s lap. “Are going commando?” he whispered.

Flushing Kurt glanced around then nodded “The lines show through these pants.”

“Oh” he breathed.

“They’re tight but they’re a bit looser in the front so I thought it would be okay” Kurt whispered. “Can you see… umm. Should I go change?”

Puck’s cheeks flushed “No it’s fine you’re not showing anything there.”

Kurt let out a relieved breath and smiled “Good.”

Issy let out an annoyed noise “No geek chic is not what you’re doing.”

“Movie?” Puck asked, wandering over to the shelves. He grabbed one and put it into the blue ray player glaring when they all groaned at his movie choice.

“Music and lyrics?” Artie whined. “You’re killing me dude.”

“What?” Puck demanded. “It’s a great movie.”

Kurt shrugged it was sort of a musical so he could just about get by with it “It’s no Transformers.”

Puck rolled his eyes “I’ve seen Transformers eighty times since I met you.”

“Eighty?” Artie exclaimed “It’s a good movie but hell, you must really lo...”

Issy nudged him “Shh.”

Kurt shuffled closer, resting his head against Puck’s arm as Hugh Grant began to sing and closed his eyes for just a minute.

_  
_

  


 

An hour and a half later Puck gently nudged Kurt awake “Dude it’s over.”

Kurt blinked adorably at him and smiled “Hey.”

Puck cleared his throat, damn he was cute “Hey sleepy head. Ready for dinner?”

Shaking his head, Kurt rubbed at his eyes “I’m awake.”

“Sure you are” Puck laughed. “So dinner?”

“Mmmm where is everyone?”

Puck held out a hand and pulled Kurt to his feet “They did a mass exodus ten minutes in. Some people just can’t appreciate good comedy.”

Kurt snorted “I’m sure that’s what it was.”

The smell of chicken grew stronger as the reached the kitchen and pushed open the door just in time to see Issy sitting on Artie’s lap being wheeled around in circles and rocking back onto the stops.

“Is she giggling?” Kurt whispered. “It’s so… I don’t even know the word.”

Puck smiled resting against the door frame. It had been a while since he had see Issy that relaxed and happy. Despite only being four years older, he had been more like a dad to her growing up which had made things difficult as she got older and he had to try and morph into a brother instead. Things had been even more strained since his love life started to be splashed all over the papers.

Issy shrieked as Artie rocked back again then froze finally noticing them in the doorway. Sliding off Artie’s lap she nodded at them, clearly trying to stop herself from smiling.

“Mom’s just laying the table.”

Puck nodded and moved over to the counter where the chicken was resting. Quickly carving it as the others carried though the side dishes he ate a bit then took the plate into the dinning room.

“Smells awesome” he said setting it down.

His mom began pouring each of them a glass of wine, hesitating when she reached Kurt. Puck gave her a look, knowing that Kurt would be embarrassed if she excluded him and she nodded, pouring Kurt slightly less than everyone else.

“So what time’s my surprise party?” Puck asked helping himself to greens. He laughed when he looked up to find everyone staring at him “Come on guys it was the worst kept secret ever.”

Considering how many people had asked him what time they should arrive or how to get to his house, Puck had hardly been kept in the dark.

Kurt let out a heavy sigh “Well so much for all my planning.”

Puck reached over and squeezed his knee “It’ll be awesome.”

“Yeah you only turn thirty once” Artie grinned.

“Mock all you want, you’re not far behind me” Puck reminded. “Anyway thirty isn’t so bad.”

“Too right” his mom replied. “Just wait until you’re fifty.”

Puck shrugged “Kurt has the most to freak out about anyway.”

Kurt shot him a confused look “Why is that?”

“Well” Puck drawled. “You’re going to be twenty soon, no more being a teenager.”

Kurt hummed, reaching for his drink “Whatever you say old man.”

Puck’s jaw dropped open “I’m not old!”

“You are compared to me” Kurt replied, laughing at Puck’s expression. “Never mind darling, anyone who knew you would never think it.”

Not knowing if that was a good thing or not Puck shrugged and shovelled some chicken into his mouth. Wait a minute, Kurt had just called him darling.

They spent the rest of the evening in the music room, Puck’s mom excusing herself around nine claiming her need for beauty sleep followed by Issy and Artie around an hour later. Ignoring the fact that they definitely weren’t heading to bed so early for the same reason as his mom, Puck settled into the couch watching Kurt flick between channels.

“What?” Kurt asked.

“Huh?”

“You were staring at me.”

Puck swallowed “I was just thinking.”

Kurt switched the television to mute and smiled “So are you going to tell me or not?”

“You called me darling” he blurted.

“So I did” Kurt murmured, glancing down at his hands in his lap.

Puck resisted the temptation to reach across and take Kurt’s hand “I… um.. I…”

“Yes?” he asked glancing up through thick eyelashes.

“Do you really think I’m old?” Puck replied, reaching for the first thing he could think of that wasn’t ‘can I kiss you’ or worse ‘will you marry me?’

Kurt stared at him with an unreadable expression “No I don’t.”

“But I’m..”

He rolled his eyes “You’re only thirty. That’s hardly old.”

Puck felt himself bristle “I’m twenty nine. I’m not thirty until tomorrow.”

Kurt held his hands up and laughed “Oh I am terribly sorry!”

“Yeah well just don’t forget it.”

“How could I possibly forget.” Kurt shook his head “You ridiculous man.”

“Ridiculously awesome” Puck shot back, slouching further into the soft cushions he lent slightly closer to Kurt.

Scoffing Kurt reached for the remote and began to surf through the channels again, finally leaving it on the news.

They watched as the video of them outside Kurt’s apartment was replayed for probably the hundredth time. Puck had to admit that the press’ misunderstanding about the nature of their relationship was understandable, if he didn’t know the situation and was just going off their body language in the video alone he’d believe it too.

Kurt sighed as the reporter began to speculate where they could be “We may need to alert the security guards to expect trouble.”

“You think?”

“They just have to follow a few of your closest friends to realise that everyone will be coming here for your party.”

Puck shrugged “Suppose.”

“It’ll be interesting to see what disguise Ben Israel attempts to use this time” Kurt murmured. “Do you remember your Christmas Party last year?”

“How could I forget?” Puck replied grimacing. God if only he could burn that memory out, he’d be willing to pour acid down his ears.

Kurt shook his head “His hair always gives him away, you’d think he would have considered that before he stole the sexy elf costumes.”

Puck glared “I’m trying very hard never to remember that freak in a short skirt ever again.”

“Aren’t we all” Kurt drawled. “Although you have to admit, Issy tackling him was rather amusing.”

Puck felt his lips twitch “Would have been better if the dude had kept his underwear on.”

“So true.”

Switching off the television, Kurt dropped the remote onto the coffee table “Well I think it’s time I went to bed too.”

Puck nodded and slowly rolled off the couch, reaching down a hand to Kurt. They walked upstairs in comfortable silence until they stood outside Kurt’s bedroom.

“This is my stop” Kurt yawned.

“So it is” Puck murmured, burying his hands in his pockets so he would be less tempted to reach out and pull Kurt into a kiss.

“Night.”

Puck mumbled goodnight then stalked down the hall towards his room, glancing back over his shoulder when Kurt whispered _pssst_ loudly.

Kurt glanced up from his watch and smiled “Happy Birthday Noah.”

_  
_

  


_  
_

Kurt wobbled slightly as he balanced precariously on the edge of the window sill, gave the banner one last hard press then jumped down.

“Shit Kurt what time did you get up?” Issy asked from the doorway.

“Five?” he replied. “It might have been earlier but I think it’s finally getting there.”

Issy’s eyes widened “Getting there? It’s unbelievable.”

“Oh good” Kurt breathed stepping into the middle of the room to view his work. “Obviously that table will be more to the left but I had to move it when the stage arrived.” He waved his hand towards where the table should be “I was thinking that the cake and presents could be set out there.”

“I can’t believe you’ve got everything organised and it’s not even ten o’clock.”

Kurt shrugged “I had to call in a few favours.”

“I bet” Issy replied, helping him move the table. “The flowers are unbelievable.”

Kurt dropped the table and looked around at the huge floral displays “I was rather pleased with them.”

“I hope Noah appreciates it” Issy drawled.

“I’m sure he will” Kurt replied stiffly. When she made a disbelieving noise he spun towards her “What’s your problem? He’s your brother.”

“Believe me I know.”

Kurt shook his head “I just don’t understand why you hate him so much.”

Issy looked at him in surprise “I don’t hate him. I love him.”

“Then why?”

“Don’t you get it?” she murmured. “I’m disappointed.”

“Disappointed?” Kurt repeated confused. Puck had worked a sixty hour week to put her through college before his business took off and she was disappointed in him?

“Did he ever tell you he used to look after me when we were kids?” Issy shrugged “He made me breakfast, went to my parent teacher nights, made me dinner, helped me with my homework.”

Kurt shook his head, he knew that Puck had taken care of things financially for the last few years but he had never mentioned that.

“Mom worked two or three jobs just to keep us afloat those days” Issy explained with a pointed look, clearly not wanting him to think that Abigail hadn’t looked after them properly.

“I see.”

“It was difficult as I got older and he started to act like my brother rather than my dad. I wanted him to still be my dad” Issy admitted. “I know, I know he’s my brother and should never have had all that responsibility that young.”

“What happened between you two?” he asked.

She shrugged “I blame myself for how shit things are between us, I pushed him away.” Walking over to the table she adjusted the table cloth “Everything I dislike most about him are the things I hate about myself.”

“But you’re not a slu… I mean promiscuous.”

Issy’s lips twitched “Well I don’t particularly like that aspect of his life but I meant the badass act that he puts on, like nothing can touch him.” She smiled sadly “It’s like my Noah is gone but you know, the only times I get a glimpse of him again is when he’s with you.”

Kurt met her eyes “Really?”

“I’m really jealous of you sometime.”

“You should tell him how you feel” Kurt replied after a moment.

Issy shrugged helplessly “I’m not sure how.”

Kurt followed her out of the garden room and he locked the door behind himself. They reached the landing together then both glanced towards Puck’s closed bedroom door at the same time.

“Shall we?” Kurt asked.

“Let’s do it” Issy replied with a wicked grin.

Slowly opening the door, Kurt sneaked into Puck’s room followed closely by Issy. They crept to the edge of the bed and stared down at the snoring lump for a second before they grabbed each others hands and jumped on the bed.

Puck let out a grunt as Issy landed on his stomach and they began bouncing up and down on his bed.

“What the fuck?”

Giggling Kurt fell to his knees “Happy Birthday!”

Puck pulled the covers off his face “You already said that.”

“I know but it feels more real after you’ve been to sleep.”

Puck grunted in reply and pulled the sheet back over his head.

Issy reached out a fist which Kurt awkwardly bumped “I’m going riding for a few hours see you later.”

Kurt dropped onto his stomach and pulled the covers down so he could see Puck’s face “How are you this morning birthday boy?”

His response was a heavy sigh “I’m so old.”

Unable to stop himself, Kurt let out a giggle “Don’t be silly.”

“What time is it?”

Kurt checked his watch “Just after ten.”

“In the morning?” Puck demanded. “Do you know that it’s my birthday?”

“Before you complain about how crazy early it is perhaps I should tell you that I’ve been up since at least five.”

“In the morning?” Puck asked. “Didn’t think that time existed.”

“I can assure you that it does” Kurt replied, squeaking as Puck’s arm suddenly was thrown around him. “What are you doing.”

Puck dragged him closer and snuggled his face into Kurt’s neck “Stopping you from bouncing.”

Kurt sighed as Puck’s lips dragged across his neck “Not bouncing anymore.”

There was a knock at the door followed by Abigail’s voice “Baby? You awake yet?”

Kurt giggled and whispered “Baby?” into Puck’s hair.

Puck groaned “Very, thanks Ma.”

“Oh goodness, I didn’t realise I was interrupting” Abigail rushed, her voice much closer than before. “I’m so sorry, I’ll just…”

Puck sighed and released Kurt, sitting up he rested on his elbows “Kurt’s fully dressed and lying on top of the covers. You’re hardly interrupting anything exciting.”

Kurt pulled back and swung his legs over the edge of the bed “I’m afraid to say he’s right.”

“Well” Abigail murmured. “I just wanted to check that you were up, I’ve made waffles.”

“Waffles? Puck repeated, hurriedly throwing off the covers. “Why didn’t you say so.”

Following a half naked Puck out of the bedroom, Kurt wandered downstairs and into the kitchen. Puck looked down at the pile of waffles in front of him then back at Kurt several times before he offered him the plate.

Rolling his eyes, Kurt shook his head “You have them.”

Puck grinned “You’re the best.”

“I know.”

“Waffles?” Artie asked, wheeling into the kitchen.

“My birthday waffles” Puck explained slowly. “Ma didn’t make enough for anyone else.”

“I made enough for an army” Abigail muttered. “I’m going out for a few hours, try not to make yourself ill before the party.”

“Where you going?” Puck demanded mouth full.

“Never you mind” she replied, winking at Kurt on her way to the door.

Kurt shrugged when Puck glanced towards him “Don’t look at me. I don’t know.”

“You know everything.”

Kurt made a humming noise deciding that it was much more fun to leave Puck guessing rather than telling him that Abigail was going for the birthday cake.

“Where’s Issy?” Artie asked, digging through the cupboard.

“Riding.”

“Huh” Artie mumbled. “Who ate all the biscuits?”

Kurt met Puck’s eyes and looked away quickly biting his lip as Puck muttered “No idea.”

“So what’s the plan, yo?”

“Plan?” Kurt asked.

“For today, gotta celebrate somehow.”

Puck glanced up from his waffles “We could go to the track, get the go-carts out.”

Unable to help himself, Kurt jumped up and down a few times and clapped his hands “Yes! Yes that let’s do that!”

“Great, we’ll go down to the track and be humiliated by this dude.”

Puck shrugged “Maybe we’ll beat him this time.”

“You for real?” Artie asked. “There’s no way in hell.”

Grabbing Puck’s hand Kurt dragged him out of the kitchen followed by Artie then waited impatiently as Puck ran upstairs to put some clothes on.

Kurt smiled awkwardly at Artie’s knowing look and repeatedly glanced at the stairs “That was quick.”

“Here” Puck said, holding out one of his hoodies.

Pulling it over his head, Kurt inhaled deeply leading the way out of the house, eventually falling into step with Puck who began pushing Artie along the half mile path to the track at the bottom of the garden. Pressing the code into the door lock on the large shed, Puck disappeared inside and dragged out three carts one by one.

“Artie’s” Puck called, dropping the orange go-cart with hand controls next to his wheelchair. “The reigning champion” he grumbled, rolling the purple cart towards Kurt.

Finally pulling his own blue go-cart out, Puck wrapped an arm around Artie’s back and scooped the other under his legs gently carrying him to his cart.

Jumping in to his own, Kurt yelled “Eat my dirt!” and sped off, grinning as he took the first corner.

_  
_

  


_  
_

A few hours later, Puck gazed up at the sky letting his head bounce against the side of the shed “How much longer do you think he’s going to be?”

Artie rocked back onto his stops then forward again “You’ll probably turn forty before he comes in.”

“Kurt! Hey Kurt!” Puck screamed.

Kurt slammed on his brakes and skidded to a halt a few feet away “Yes?”

“Time to go.”

“Really?” he wined.

Puck rolled his eyes and reached down, hauling Kurt out of the cart so he could drag it back into the shed “Yeah if you want time to fix your hair or whatever before the party.”

“My hair?” Kurt repeated, frantically patting his head. “What’s wrong with it?”

“Nothing” Puck soothed. “Other than it sticking up in every direction” he added under his breath.

Artie snorted, letting go of his wheels as Puck began to push him back to the house “Could be a new look for him.”

Puck glanced over his shoulder, watching Kurt run to catch up with them “Come on dude we can come back tomorrow if you want.”

Kurt sullenly followed only to be grabbed by Puck’s mom as they walked through the front door.

“Darling where have you been?” she demanded. “We’ve got so much to do and oh my what happened to your hair?”

Laughing as Kurt muttered under his breath and quickly swiped at his hair, Puck shook his head “I thought you had everything done already?”

Kurt shot him a look that made him feel like a stupid kid again “We need time to get dressed.”

Puck glanced at his watch “You need three hours to get dressed?”

“Don’t be ridiculous” his mom replied, steering Kurt upstairs.

Puck watched them for a moment then glanced towards Artie “Do you get that?”

“Bitches be crazy” Artie replied with a shrug.

“True” Puck nodded. “But how do you explain Kurt?”

“He’s crazy too” he shrugged. “Pizza?”

“I could eat.”

Two pizza later Puck decided that it was probably time to get ready because he was almost certain that if he showed up to his party wearing jeans and a hoodie, Kurt would kill him in some painful and very imaginative way. Once upstairs he took a leisurely shower then flopped on his bed still in his towel and opened his laptop.

The next thing he knew Kurt barged into the room after what must have been the quickest knock in history.

“Stop looking at kittens on You Tube and hurry up” Kurt demanded.

Puck quickly minimised his window “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Kurt stopped at the end of his bed and began tapping his foot “Of course you don’t.”

"Your hair."

"What about it?" he asked, nervously patting his hair.

Swallowing Puck shook his head "It’s different.”

Different was the understatement of the year. It was fucking hot as hell all quiffed up like that and for some reason it made Kurt look a few years older than he normally did.

Kurt’s cheeks flushed “Different good? Or?”

“No no, its really ho… good.”

“Oh” Kurt replied softly. “Well thank you, I thought I’d try something new.”

Puck’s eyes trailed down Kurt’s tailored black suit “It works.”

He looked up to catch Kurt’s eyes exploring his practically naked body and smirked “How about me?”

Kurt turned bright red and he quickly averted his eyes “Let’s see.” He made his way to Puck’s closet and pulled out a pair of charcoal trousers and a plum coloured shirt “Here wear this.”

“Not what I meant” Puck muttered under his breath reaching into a drawer for underwear. Smiling as Kurt’s eyes snapped shut and he spun around, Puck pulled on the boxer briefs then slipped on the trousers. “I’m decent.”

Kurt turned back and waited as he buttoned up the shirt “Ready?”

“Yup” Puck declared, holding out his arms. “Leading me to my adoring fans.”

Kurt led the way down to the garden room, opening the door and stepping back for Puck to enter first.

Grabbing Kurt’s hand, Puck dragged him into the room beside him then let go giving a wave to everyone who yelled “Surprise!”

“Woah” he exclaimed. “What a surprise, I had no idea!”

“Smooth” Kurt whispered. “That was the worst fake surprise I’ve ever seen.”

“Whatever I’m the best at faking.”

“What a shame” Kurt murmured.

Puck felt his cheeks suddenly flare with heat “Not like that.”

Kurt grinned “Sure.”

Puck shook his head as Kurt disappeared into the crowd and he began to meet and great his guests. Most of the people there were close family friends or people he had known for years and had better sense than to mention his recent brush with the press. With the lack of judgement hanging over him, Puck began to feel totally relaxed for what felt like the first time in ages. That was of course until after half an hour of mingling amongst his friends and catching up with people he hadn’t seen in a while, the band’s gentle background music disappeared and his mom got hold of a microphone.

“Attention please” she called. “Attention.”

Puck glanced around hoping that Kurt was somewhere nearby and would stop her from doing whatever embarrassing thing she was about to do but he had no such luck.

“Today my baby turns thirty” his mom announced to the room who promptly cheered or awwwed. “I’m not going to make a speech and embarrass him but if everyone can make sure to get a good position to stare at him from, it’s cake time.”

Barging her way across the room, she suddenly appeared by his side and began to steer him across the room ignoring all his protests.

“What happened to not embarrassing me?” he hissed.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about” she said positioning him next to Kurt and a huge ass cake.

Kurt lent over lighting the last candle “Hurry up before it starts a fire.”

“Ha ha very funny” Puck drawled sarcastically.

Still in possession of a microphone his mom hit it on the table a few times “If I can get everyone’s attention again? Marvellous! The birthday boy is about to blow out his candles, if you’d all like to crowd around.”

Puck shot his mom a glare and groaned, birthday boy? Really?

“Rather than everyone sing I think the lovely Kurt would like the honour” she declared, handing the microphone to a startled Kurt.

Served him right for giggling.

Kurt swallowed heavily looking like a bunny in the headlights as everyone’s focus turned to him “Of course unless Puck would prefer…”

“No I’d like you to do it” Puck replied with a no doubt evil grin.

Turning to face him, Kurt sang the lyrics looking him straight in the eye making his heart beat double time as he sang Happy Birthday Dear Noah. Shit he loved the way Kurt said his name. It happened so rarely that it was like a present all on its own.

“Are you going to blow the candles out?” Kurt whispered.

Shaking his head in an attempt to get some clarity back, Puck stepped closer to the cake glancing up at Kurt as he blew.

“Did you make a wish?”

“Yeah but it’s a big one, probably wont come true” Puck admitted.

Kurt smiled “You never know.”

They stood for a few minutes in silences as the crowd dispersed a bit and the band began their set in earnest.

Puck grinned “I love this song. Come dance with me.”

Kurt glanced around at the other people dancing in the centre for the room “I don’t know.”

Puck grabbed his hand and pulled him across the room “Come on, everyone here’s cool they won’t care if two dudes dance together.”

Swinging Kurt into his arms he held him closer than strictly necessary, holding onto one of his hands and began to sway.

_  
_

  


_  
_

_I need to tell you_

__How you light up every second of the day

 

 

Kurt glanced around “People are looking.”

“Let em.” Pulling Kurt closer, he murmured “They’re only looking coz you’re the most gorgeous guy in the room.”

“Cheesy” Kurt replied, ducking his head to hide his blush.

Puck grinned at him when he looked back up “Well that and they’re loving the fact that a nineteen year old has me wrapped around his little finger.”

Kurt rolled his eyes and laughed “I’m sure no one thinks that.”

“Why not? It’s true.”

Kurt stared for a moment feeling completely startled “Don’t be silly.” He cleared his throat “Besides a lot of people know we’re not really dating.”

Puck shrugged and pulled Kurt even closer. They danced in silence until the end of the song then Kurt tried to pull away.

“Where are you going? You love this song” Puck objected holding him close. “Go on you know you wanna sing along. I’ll start you off…. If I should stay….” he began to sing.

“I would only be in your way” Kurt continued, unable to help himself. “No, I’m not doing this” he laughed.

“Mhhhmm.”

Kurt lent forward, resting his cheek against Puck’s chest and sang “We both know I’m not what you need.”

“I hope you have all you dream of.”

Kurt lifted his head as Puck rang his hand over his cheek, brushing a piece of stray hair aside. “I wish you joy and happiness but above all this I wish you love.”

Torn between feeling completely broken hearted at the prospect of leaving and succumbing to the blissful feeling of Puck’s arms surrounding him, Kurt lost himself in the song staring into deep brown eyes as he belted out “And I will always love you.”

Not able to help himself Kurt’s hand trailed up to Puck’s cheek, his thumb tracing his cheek bone before dropping to Puck’s full bottom lip.

“You have a beautiful voice.”

Kurt stepped away, his hand dropping quickly as he spun around to face the woman behind him “Thank you.”

“Kurt used to dream of Broadway.” Puck’s smile reached his eyes as he glanced towards Kurt “He could have made it too, still could if he wanted.”

“Wow that’s amazing” the woman replied.

“Mandy, this is my… this is Kurt. Kurt, Mandy’s one of Issy’s oldest friends.”

Kurt held out a hand “Lovely to meet you.”

“You too. Do you plan to study musical theatre in the future?” she asked.

“No, I’m considering something in design.” Kurt explained “Either fashion or interior.”

Puck frowned “But what about your dream?”

Kurt hesitated for a moment then shrugged, glancing towards Mandy “My dream changed.”

Her eyes flicked towards Puck and she grinned “Oh I know how that goes.”

“Mand, there you are” Issy said, suddenly dragging her friend away. “I need you to come tell Artie…”

Kurt shuddered, when would Artie comprehend that belts and braces just didn’t go together. Although if he wouldn’t accept his wife and all his family and friends telling him, it seemed unlikely that he ever would. Sighing he turned his attention to the band, a small part of him still thought about the possibility of being on the stage. He loved singing but at times he wondered how much he actually wanted it and how much was him just clinging to an old dream. Kurt sighed again, his new dream was probably even less achievable than his old one. He certainly knew how to pick them.

“Why don’t you get up there and show them what you’re made of?”

Kurt glanced up at Puck “What? No.”

“Come on it can be your birthday present to me” Puck said nudging him towards the stage.

He raised an indignant eye brow “I organised this lovely party and bought you an equally lovely scarf.”

“Please?” Puck murmured, with that sweet smile that made Kurt want to do anything for him just to keep it on his face.Damn him.

“If you insist.” Kurt tilted his head and smirked “Although you really should be careful what you wish for.”

Making his way to the stage, Kurt had a quick word with the band then moved to centre stage where he took the microphone he was handed.

“Hello?” he called. Once he had everyone’s attention he cleared his throat “Puck has requested that I do a little impromptu performance and I think this song is just perfect for him.”

Nodding to the band, he waited for the music to start smiling as a few people laughed out loud during the opening bars.

_You're so hot  
Teasing me _

Kurt met Puck’s eye as he began to move across the stage running a hand down his chest as he bit out the word hot.

_So you're blue but I can't  
Take a chance on a kid like you  
It's something I couldn't do _

Pouting as he pressed his back against the wall to the left of the stage, Kurt brought his leg up foot resting behind him as he wiggled his finger in Puck’s direction.

_There's that look  
In your eyes _

Slowly making his way down the steps, Kurt accentuated each step with a small jerk of his hips without breaking eye contact.

_I can read in your face_

Stopping just in front of Puck, he bit his lip for a moment running his eyes down Puck’s body then back up to his eyes before Kurt pushed at his chest, making him stagger backwards.

_That your feelings are driving you wild  
But boy you're only a child _

Kurt gave him a wink then began to dance pointing towards Abigail as he sang the next few lines.

_But does your mother know that you're out?_

Giving a little shrug Kurt spun around, glancing coyly over his shoulder.

_And I could chat with you baby  
Flirt a little maybe _

Kurt blew a kiss to the crowd then began to walk towards Puck again.

_I can see what you want  
But you seem pretty young  
To be searching for that kind of fun_

Moving as close to Puck as he dared in front of all those people, Kurt let his eye’s trail down Puck’s body again, lingering at his crotch. He then met Puck’s wide eyes and gave a sad shrug.

_So maybe I'm not the one_

Backing away, Kurt made his way back to the stage unable to help the smile that took over his face when he glanced around at the laughing crowd.

_Now, you're so cute  
I like your style _

Kurt gave Puck a mocking smile and rolled his eyes.

_And I know what you mean  
When you give me a flash of that smile  
But boy you're only a child_

Dancing along with the band and half the people in the room, Kurt shook his hips panting once he had sung the final line.

_But does your mother know that you're out?_

Handing the microphone back, Kurt climbed down blushing as various people he didn’t know and a few he had met a couple of times came over to compliment him. Finally finding his way back to Puck, he rocked back and forward on his heels.

“I told you to be careful what you wish for.”

“You’re unbelievable” Puck murmured, staring down at him in the strangest way.

“I think everyone enjoyed the irony” Kurt laughed as Puck pulled him into the recess of one of the doors that led into the hallway.

“A little too much maybe” Puck replied. “You’re unreal you know?”

Kurt shrugged and glanced around nervously only to find everyone preoccupied by the band. As close as they were, Kurt began to wonder if Puck could hear his heart beating, it certainly felt like it was about to jump out of his chest.

“Don’t leave me” Puck begged. “Please.”

“I have to” Kurt whispered desperately, not even trying to hide his despair.

“Why?”

Kurt hesitated for a moment then decided screw it, if his heart was going to be broken anyway he might as well go the whole hog. Shuffling closer he pressed a kiss against Puck’s cheek then another at the corner of his mouth.

Puck took a sharp intake of breath then lent down hesitantly and pressed a soft kiss against Kurt’s lips then another until Kurt let out a groan and pulled him closer, desperate for more.  
Clawing at the door, Puck opened it and walked them backwards into the hallway not breaking contact until they reached the bottom of the stairs. An uncertain look crossed his face so before Puck could see sense and stop whatever was happening between them, Kurt pulled him into another kiss then took Puck’s hand and led him upstairs.

__

__

 

  


__

 

__

Kurt gasped as Puck backed him into the bedroom and kicked the door closed without breaking their kiss. Shrugging out of his jacket, Puck let it drop to the floor then pushed Kurt’s jacket off his shoulders, kissing his way down Kurt’s neck.

“Oh god” Kurt moaned as he bit down gently and sucked. “Puck... Noah.”

Puck growled in response and tangled his hand in Kurt’s hair pulling his head closer, crashing their lips together. Kurt pressed his hands against Puck’s chest and began to unbutton his shirt with shaking hands.

Oh god this was actually happening.

Fumbling with a button Kurt giggled against his mouth as Puck lost patience and reached down ripping the buttons off, pulling off the offending article.

“Don’t you dare do that to my shirt” Kurt warned, reaching for his own buttons.

“I won’t if you hurry up.”

Hurrying out of his shirt, Kurt sighed as their bare chests pressed together and wrapped his arms around Puck’s neck. He swallowed heavily as Puck’s fingers trailed their way down his sides until they reached his belt which Puck began to tug off.

“Puck… I” he gasped.

Puck rested his forehead against Kurt’s, his hands stalling “Do you want to stop?”

“No no!”

He pulled back and met Kurt’s eyes “I’ll stop at any point, you just have to say and we don’t go any further.”

“Don’t you dare” Kurt murmured, reaching a hand behind Puck’s neck pulling into a kiss. “I want you.”

Puck grunted and kissed back desperately, finally pushing Kurt’s pants over his hips then quickly kicked off his own until they both stood in just their underwear.

“I’m thirty, oh god I’m thirty” Puck exclaimed between kisses, running his hands over every inch of Kurt that he could reach.

Kurt tried to roll his eyes but it turned out to be more difficult then he remembered with Puck trailing kisses down his neck “You’re honestly going to freak out about that now?”

“It’s not that” Puck mumbled against his skin. “You’re nineteen.”

“Just for a few months. It’s just a number.”

Puck pushed him away, clearly trying to control his breathing “Tell me I’m not taking advantage of you. Tell me you want this.”

Kurt reached out and stroked his cheek “I want this. I want you.”

Apparently that was just what Puck wanted to hear because he walked Kurt back until his knees hit the bed and he toppled backwards. Puck crawled on top of him, peppering kisses up his inner thighs and stomach until he reached Kurt’s lips again.

“Kiss me” Puck whispered, almost begging.

Kurt kissed him hard, arching up for more “Please tell me this isn’t just convenient. I know we’re not in love but…”

Okay so that was a lie, one of them was in love but the less Puck knew about that the better, if only for Kurt’s sense of self preservation.

Puck looked down at him and swallowed, hard. “Is that a problem?” He hesitated “You’re a romantic, you wanted first time to be with someone you love.”

“I do love you” Kurt confessed.

“I know you do, as a friend. I’m your best friend and perhaps that’s enough.”

Kurt shook his head “I love you so much Noah.”

Puck’s head tilted “Love and sex isn’t the same.”

Kurt closed his eyes “I know.” He glanced back up at Puck “Kiss me.”

Puck hesitated for a moment then groaned as Kurt rocked his hips desperate for some friction. Reaching down, Puck took hold of his hips and held them still and he ground his own against them. Lifting his hips as Puck tugged his underwear down, Kurt kicked them off then looked up shyly, nervous under Puck’s blatant gaze.

“Fuck, you’re bigger than I thought.”

Sure he had never blushed that hard in his life, Kurt whispered “Your turn.”

Faster than he thought possible, Puck kicked off his underwear clearly not fazed by his nudity at all.

“Oh!”

“Oh?” Puck repeated smirking. “No one’s ever said oh before.”

Kurt frowned “Are you really bringing up you’re past affairs when we’re..” He waved his hand “together.”

Puck shook his head quickly, leaning over to kiss Kurt’s cheek “There’s no one but you. I only want you.”

Sighing as Puck kissed his collar bone he reached down and petted Puck’s mohawk, his breath hitching as Puck kissed his way down to his hip. Biting his lip, he began to think about the other things that Puck could do with his mouth. Just as the thought crossed his mind, Puck’s mouth engulfed his cock and he let out a high pitched cry.

“Noah… Oh… What are…. Fuck!”

Kurt arched backwards as Puck ran his tongue up the underside then swirled around the tip before taking him whole until every inch was surrounded by wet heat. Puck slowly eased off then quickly swallowed him whole again, one hand holding on to Kurt’s thigh as he mindlessly pawed at the bed with his feet.

Trying to stop himself from thrusting up into Puck’s mouth, Kurt arched his head back gasping as Puck’s hand came up to trail a finger over his balls down to his ass then back again. Unable to stop his hips from jerking as Puck took his balls in his hand and rolled them gently he muttered “Sorry.”

Much to his surprise Puck just grunted and pulled back slightly before he wrapped a large hand around Kurt’s hip, pulling Kurt’s hips forward a few times until he got the hint. In case he was misunderstanding Kurt gave a small thrust, moaning when Puck hummed in response and vibrations travelled down his cock. Thrusting slightly more forcefully, Kurt began to make high pitched noises as he felt his orgasm building and building until he was right on the edge.

“Noah.. I’m going to…” he cried as Puck ran a finger over him again.

Puck sucked gently, taking every last drop until Kurt flopped down on the bed completely spent.

“Any good?” Puck asked with a grin, finally letting him go.

Kurt opened his eyes and rolled his eyes “You know it was.”

“Still like hearing you say it.”

“Mmmmm Noah.”

Puck’s eyes glazed over “I love it when you say my name.”

“Yes?” Kurt teased. “Well Noah why don’t you kiss me again and show me just how much.”

“Mmmm I might just” Puck murmured, leaning down for a kiss.

It was a bit weird tasting himself on Puck’s lips but he figured that if Puck could get used to it so could he. Groaning as Puck slipped his tongue into his mouth, Kurt trailed a hand down Puck’s chest hesitantly taking him in his hand.

“Fuck yeah just like that babe.”

Growing in confidence, Kurt ran his thumb over the tip of Puck’s cock then pumped his hand up and down adding a slight twist every couple of strokes. Letting go much to Puck’s dismay, Kurt pushed at his shoulder rolling them over until Puck was flat on his back. Tucking himself half beside and half over Puck, he reach down and ran his fingers lightly over Puck’s balls before he took him in his hand again.

After a minute or two, Puck looked up at him panting “You better stop or it’ll be over before it begins.”

Kurt rocked his own growing erection against Puck’s leg, blushing slightly “I seem to be… ummm.”

Puck grinned “Yeah well we aren’t all as young as you.”

He turned on his side and ran his hand over Kurt’s ass pulling them closer, pressing their lips together.

Gasping into Puck’s mouth as their cock’s dragged against each others, Kurt allowed himself to be rolled onto his back and desperately thrust his tongue into Puck’s mouth. His legs fell apart letting Puck settle in between, panting as Puck reached down and squeezed him.

Puck broke the kiss and looked down at him “You sure?”

“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”

Nodding slightly frantically Puck pushed his legs wider apart and grabbed some lube out of his top drawer, coating his fingers.

Kurt grabbed Puck’s bicep and squeezed “I’ve never… I don’t know what I’m… I haven’t.”

“I know.” Puck kissed him gently “Don’t worry.”

Puck’s finger brushed against his ass and he flinched “Sorry.”

“Don’t be, we don’t have to do anything” Puck said pulling away.

“No I want to” Kurt pleaded pulling him closer. “I love you.”

Puck hesitated then whispered “I love you too.”

Kurt’s breath hitched “As…as a friend right?”

“Yeah course.”

Kurt lent up and kissed him softly in an attempt to ignore the crushing pain in his chest. If he could just have this moment then it would be enough, it would have to be enough. He tried his best to relax as Puck touched him, barely dipping a fingertip inside but he couldn’t hide his tension and Puck’s hand disappeared again. It wasn’t that Kurt didn’t want Puck but the thought of something so big inside him unnerved him a bit. Not to mention how inexperienced he was in comparison to Puck.

“I’m nervous” Kurt whispered against Puck’s skin.

Puck stared at him for a moment then swallowed hard and took Kurt’s hand in his, pouring some lube over his fingers. Rolling them over, Puck opened his legs wide and pressed Kurt’s finger against his opening.

“Noah?”

“Fuck me Kurt” Puck whispered, kissing a trail along his jaw.

Not needing anymore encouragement, Kurt pressed his finger slowly into Puck barely able to believe just how hot and tight he was.

After a few minutes Puck grunted “More.”

Adding another finger, Kurt gently kissed the bruise he had made until he reached Puck’s lips. Their kisses becoming slightly more frantic as Puck began thrusting against Kurt’s fingers.

“Fuck just there” Puck cried. “Kurt I want you.”

“Oh?” Kurt breathed.

“Inside now” Puck demanded.

Kurt let out a nervous giggle and reached for the lube before pausing “Condoms?”

“My bag” Puck replied, whining as Kurt’s fingers left him.

Kurt tore the packet open then looked at the condom frowning, he hadn’t exactly used one before. Puck, obviously the expert in such matters, knocked his hand away and rolled it onto Kurt’s cock, pouring some more lube on the end then spread it around before he lay back.

Positioning himself between Puck’s legs, Kurt pushed them higher and pressed himself against Puck’s ass before he slowly began to sink inside.

“A-are you okay?” he gasped halfway inside.

Puck winced but nodded “Yeah just keep going.”

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t” Puck murmured, kissing his neck.

Kurt shuddered and arched his neck back, sighing as Puck relaxed and he sunk in another inch. Gently rocking his hips he continued to be engulfed by the almost too tight heat until his balls met Puck’s ass.

“Fuck you’re big” Puck grunted.

Kurt’s head dropped onto Puck’s shoulder and he panted, struggling to stop himself from coming.

“You’re so tight.”

After a few seconds he began to move again, rolling his hips a few times before he began to slowly thrust. Shifting his hips slightly he smiled as Puck let out a loud cry and rocked against the same spot again.

“Oh god Oh god Oh god Oh god” Puck chanted. “Right there.”

Kurt lent back and took hold of Puck’s hips thrusting faster and faster until his movements became more and more frantic. Feeling his own climax approaching, Kurt reached down and wrapped his hand around Puck pumping him a few times until Puck screamed something that sounded like his name and came all over his hand.

Kurt’s hips snapped forward one more time and he came with a loud grunt, collapsing on top of Puck.

After a minute he slowly pulled out and rolled over twisting his face at the mess.

“Put it on the bedside table” Puck murmured sleepily as Kurt pulled the condom off.

Grabbing a few tissues, Kurt wiped them clean then tucked himself into Puck’s side smiling when Puck reached an arm around him and pulled him closer whispering something into his hair.

Eyes closing of their own accord, Kurt fell asleep to the sound of Puck's murmurs.

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Kurt lay on his stomach trailing a finger across Puck’s chest and down his abs, glancing up when the muscles under his hand twitched.

He looked into Puck’s now open eyes and whispered “Hi.”

“Hi yourself” Puck murmured lazily, wrapping an arm around him.

Kurt smiled then bit his lip, nervously shifting in the bed “W-was that okay? Last night I mean.”

“Mmm” Puck hummed, pulling him closer. “Better than okay.”

“I didn’t know what I was doing” Kurt admitted.

Puck shrugged “Neither did I, not really.”

Kurt stared at him for a moment, not sure if he understood what Puck was saying. “What do you mean?”

Puck gave him a slightly uncomfortable look “I’ve never... I mean, I’ve done it with dudes before just not like that.”

“Oh.”

Puck made that humming noise again and snuggled closer, pressing his lips against Kurt’s neck “Was so awesome.”

“Yes?” Kurt breathed. Clearing his throat he tried not to blush as he explained “It was amazing for me, you were…. I mean… just wonderful.”

Puck lent back and grinned at him “Figured.”

“Modest” Kurt drawled.

Laughing Puck kissed him lightly “Don’t you know it.”

“Mmmmmm.”

“I think we should discuss that wife finding report you gave me” he began only to be interrupted by his cell. Reaching across Kurt he grabbed his phone and winced at the screen “Sorry, I need to take this.”

Kurt nodded, tilting his head as he watched Puck walk butt naked across to the en suite. He waited in the bed for a few minutes, then a few more until about forty had passed and Puck still hadn’t come back. Climbing out of bed, Kurt made his way to the bathroom and knocked gently on the door.

Puck opened it a second later with his cell pressed against his chest “Kurt?” He frowned “You still here?”

“Yes” Kurt replied unable to hide the shock from his voice. Should he have left? He wasn’t exactly an expert when it came to this sort of thing.

“You wanna get dressed and go downstairs or something?” he asked. “This might take a while.”

Kurt nodded slowly as Puck shut the door in his face and moved around the room in a dream like state, picking up articles of clothing as he went. He was nothing but a fool, Puck wasn’t going to declare his undying love and whisk him off to live happily ever just because they’d given in to their physical desire. Kurt just had to face the facts, he had been a convenient lay, that was all.

While he couldn’t regret giving up his virginity for one night with Puck, Kurt was certain of the fact that he was going to regret destroying their friendship. There was no way he could go back to the way things were after what had happened between them. In fact he wasn’t even sure that he could look at Puck without dying of embarrassment or crying or both.

Once he was dressed, Kurt wandered downstairs and walked straight into Issy.

“Watch it Kurt” she replied staggering backwards.

“Sorry” he whispered, reaching out to steady her.

Issy frowned at him “What’s wrong?”

Tears stung Kurt’s eyes and he glanced away “I’ve done something stupid.”

“You slept with him” Issy stated, clearly not expecting an answer. “Don’t tell me the jerk has…”

“He’s not done anything” Kurt hissed shaking his head. “I… it was a mistake and.. and..”

Issy patted him gently on the arm “Shhh it’s okay.”

“I need to leave” he whispered.

Issy gave him a calculated look “I’ll help you.”

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“Have you seen Kurt?” Puck asked dropping into a chair in his mom’s office.

“Please come in” she drawled, not taking her eyes off her computer screen. “And no I haven’t.”

Puck sighed “He’s probably messing about in the garage.”

“Probably.”

Slouching down In his chair, Puck’s mind began to replay the previous night and he sighed again this time for a slightly different reason. Fuck it had been good.

“Are you just going to sit there sighing all morning or are you going to tell me what you want?” his mom asked, staring at him over her glasses.

“I may have made a mistake” Puck admitted. “But it didn’t feel like a mistake and I just don’t know anymore.”

“Informative” she drawled.

“I’m into Kurt.”

“And?”

Puck’s eyebrows shot up “And? I tell you that I’m interested in my teenage assistant and all you have to say is and?”

His mom rolled her eyes “It’s been obvious since day one that you were smitten.”

“What?”

“So did you finally tell him how you feel?” she asked, finally seeming interested in the conversation.

Puck swallowed “Sort of.”

“What does sort of mean?” she asked, narrowing her eyes.

“I showed him.”

“Showed? What do you m… Oh!” she exclaimed blushing. “Well... okay.”

“You’re taking this pretty well considering you want me to get married” Puck replied.

His mom gave a little head wiggle “I love Kurt.”

“Yeah but you want me to marry some random chic.”

Puck’s mom crossed her arms “I never told you to marry a woman.”

“You don’t want me…?”

“No of course not.” She gave him an ‘are you stupid’ look before slowly saying “I want you to marry Kurt.”

Puck got up and began pacing the room “You tried to set me up with the daughter of a senator. What did you expect me to think?”

She rolled her eyes “That was supposed to make you both realise what was right under your noses. Senator Lopez was sick of Santana trying to be someone she isn’t and I stupidly thought that it would give you the kick up the butt that you needed.”

“What?”

“This whole thing was to make you and Kurt realise that… what is it your sister says? Oh yes, the two of you are sickeningly in love.”

“I don’t..”

Puck’s mom glared at him “Don’t you lie to me.”

“Fine, I am completely, madly, irrevocably, whole heartedly in desperate love with him and I don’t know what the hell to do about it.” Puck sat down and buried his head in his hands “I don’t know what to do mom.”

She perched on the desk in front of him, her fingers glanced across his neck and up the back of his head, stroking slowly “What’s there to think about?”

Puck lent back, slowly meeting her eyes “He doesn’t love me, not the way I want him to.”

Puck’s mom raised an eyebrow “Are you that stupid?”

“Huh?” Puck was pretty sure your own mom wasn’t supposed to think you were stupid.

“Obviously you are.” She let out a put upon sigh “Ignoring all the glaringly obvious signs… You’ve seriously never wondered about that song that Kurt hums constantly?”

What the hell were these obvious signs? “Song?”

Puck’s mom hummed a few bars then stared at him expectantly.

Puck shrugged “It’s just a ditty that Kurt made up, it’s damn catchy.”

“Clearly, you hum it all the time too.”

“So?” Puck demanded. What the hell did this have to do with anything?

His mom crossed the room and clicked a few times on her laptop, raising a hand to silence Puck as he began to ask her what she was doing. She double clicked on something and music filled the room.

“Hey that’s Kurt’s tun….”

__

_So this is love, Mmmmmm  
So this is love_

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Puck paused as the lyrics began, swallowing heavily as he started to understand.

__

_So this is what makes life divine_

__

“It’s from Cinderella you dolt, he loves you.”

Puck shushed his mom and closed his eyes listening, just listening to what Kurt had subconsciously been telling him for months.

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_My heart has wings, Mmmmmm  
And I can fly  
I'll touch ev'ry star in the sky_

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“Oh my god.”

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_So this is the miracle that I've been dreaming of  
So this is love_

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“He loves me” Puck whispered. “He fucking loves me!” The grin dropped off his face as his mom clipped him across the back of the head “Oww what the hell mom?”

“Don’t swear” she replied with an affectionate smile. Puck let out another loud sigh and she flung her arms in the air “What are you sighing about now?”

“He’s so young” Puck muttered. He couldn’t believe he had given into his feelings, he was a complete and utter bastard. Kurt deserved so much more than him although if he was honest with himself he couldn’t regret what had happened between them even if he tried.

“He’s grown up a lot in the last year and besides you’re not exactly the maturest person out there are you?”

“Thanks Ma” he ground out. “He deserves someone younger, with a squeaky clean past and I dunno..” Puck shrugged “He deserves so much more.”

His mom stared at him for a moment “I think he’s perfect for you.”

Puck shook his head “I don’t exactly have the best reputation…”

She snorted “You don’t have any kind of reputation.”

“Thanks mom” he drawled. “I am aware of what I am.”

“I think we’re both aware.”

“So what? I’m not supposed to even try because I’m not good enough for him?” Puck demanded, his voice steadily rising. “Well fuck that, I’ll just have to make myself good enough!”

Her face broke into a wide smile “That’s my boy! Now off you go and make him an offer he can’t refuse.”

Striding out of the office Puck headed straight for the out buildings, buzzing with adrenaline only to stop dead in his tracks as he flung open the side door and stepped into his garage. His eyes flittered across his cars before resting on the space where his Lamborghini should have been.

“That little bastard!”

Kurt had left him, there was no other reason that the car would be gone, Kurt wouldn’t take that car out for just a drive around the countryside without asking Puck first. Maybe the sex hadn’t been as good as he had thought.

“He left a while ago.”

Puck spun around and stared at Issy who was leaning against the open door frame “You saw him and you let him go?”

Issy shrugged “I thought you’d like it better this way. It’s more like one of your soppy chick flicks if you have to chase him down.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, they’re Kurt’s movies.”

“Kurt likes action movies and musicals” she snorted.

Waving his hand towards the missing car, Puck demanded “You let him steal my car.”

“Changing the subject, I wasn’t expecting that at all” she replied, glancing at her nails. “I may have handed him the keys.”

Puck took a step forward and growled “If you were a man…”

“If I were a man, I’d wipe the floor with you.” Issy glanced up and smirked “It’s all part of the plan, don’t worry.”

“What plan? Is everyone planning my life for me?" Puck demanded.

“Well someone has to” she replied. “He needs a romantic gesture and you…”

Puck raised an eyebrow, waiting for the barb “Yeah?”

“You need someone who loves you for you, not for what you can give them.” Issy shifted uncomfortably “You deserve it.”

Puck stared at his little sister in shock “Y- I…”

Clearing her throat she grabbed a set of keys off the wall and threw them at him “For gods sake, get in a car and follow him already.”

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Two days later Puck arrived in Lima wishing that he had driven to the airport instead of racing after Kurt in a stupid car. After six hours of driving the day before he had crashed at the seediest motel ever then driven for another four hours that morning. He also wished that Issy had thrown him the keys of any car but the camaro, it wasn’t exactly his car of choice for an eleven hour journey.

Stumbling out of the car Puck glanced down at the text Issy had sent with directions then back up at the house in front of him. Stretching a little, Puck gathered his nerve and strode up the path, knocking on the door before he could chicken out.

A middle aged woman with brown hair answered the door and stared at him for a second with her mouth open before yelling “Burt? I think you should come here.”

It seemed like he was in the right place at least, or so he thought until a man who looked like the total opposite of Kurt appeared at the door.

“Mr Hummel?”

“What are you doing here?” Burt asked in a gruff voice. “If it’s your car you’re here for it’s in the garage, here’s the key.”

Puck’s fingers closed around the key “I’m not here for the car.”

“Oh honey, this is so romantic!” the woman whispered loudly.

Burt turned to her and gave her a long suffering look “Carole.”

“Come in come in” she said, ushering Puck into the house only to disappear into the kitchen to fetch drinks.

Puck stood awkwardly trying to ignore the glare coming from Kurt's dad, dropping onto the couch when Burt nodded towards it.

“So you’re not here for the car?”

“No sir” he replied glancing around the room, his eye caught by a photo of Kurt being carried by a giant.

Following his eye line Burt grunted “My step son Finn, they’re very close.”

“I see” Puck murmured not really seeing at all. If that was some kind of veiled ‘my step son is huge and will kick your ass’ threat than it wasn’t a particularly good one, the dude looked a bit derpy.

"What sort of man are you Puckerman?” Burt asked. “My boy seems to think you’re a good one but the papers tell me differently."

"I'm the man who's in love with your son" Puck blurted before he could stop himself. Shit that either sounded really awesome or totally lame. Going by Burt’s expression he wasn’t hugely impressed.

He frowned “You’re too old for him.”

“I know” Puck nodded “But he… he’s my best friend and even if he doesn’t want me I need him to still be my friend.”

Burt gave him a calculated look “I don’t think you’ve got much to worry about there, my boy’s head over heels in love with you.”

“So I’ve been told.”

“You think you’re good enough for him?” Burt asked, his expression unreadable.

Puck shook his head “No but I want to be.”

Suddenly appearing with a tray of beers, Carole handed him a drink and winked at him whispering “For Dutch courage.”

Burt let out a huff of breath which was scarily similar to Kurt when he was pretending to be put out but was secretly quite pleased.

“Go on then, second door on the left.”

Taking a quick sip Puck handed Carole his bottle and headed for the stairs. Hesitating outside the door he knocked loudly, his heart thumping in his chest as he heard Kurt’s voice.

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__

“You stole my car.”

Kurt started and spun around as he heard Puck’s voice, suddenly dizzy he lent against the window sill and tried not to look as surprised as he felt. What the hell was Puck doing there?

“Borrowed it” he replied nonchalantly.

Puck shook his head and stalked forward a few paces “Pretty sure I’d remember you asking to borrow it.”

Kurt shrugged, his hands gripping at the window frame behind him in an attempt to stop them shaking “You said I could drive your cars whenever I wanted.”

“Under the assumption that you would bring it back.”

“What are you doing here Puck” Kurt asked, suddenly weary.

Puck shifted, looking nervous for the first time since he had stepped through the door “About the other night.”

“You don’t have to say anything. I understand” Kurt whispered.

“You do?” Puck asked frowning. He shook his head “I really don’t think you do.”

Kurt looked away “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Puck made a humming noise “Okay then let me ask you this. Why wasn’t your name on the list of marriage potentials in your report?”

Kurt narrowed his eyes “All that work and you didn’t even read it.”

“I did read it” he insisted.

“Liar.”

“Kurt” Puck warned.

“You obviously haven’t read it because if you had you would know that my name is on it” Kurt ranted. All that time and effort wasted, Puck really was the most infuriating man on the planet.

“Okay I haven’t read it yet” Puck admitted. “But I’ve been a bit preoccupied with chasing you.”

Kurt rolled his eyes “I would have returned the car to you eventually, you didn’t need to come all this way.”

“I haven’t come for the car.”

Kurt’s head snapped up in surprise “What?”

“I came for you” Puck replied taking a step towards him.

“Please stop” Kurt begged, holding up a hand. “I can’t do this.”

Puck froze “Can’t do what?”

“This” Kurt cried, waving his hand between them. “I just can’t go on as before like nothing happened.”

“What if I don’t want to do that either?”

Kurt closed his eyes and breathed deeply struggling to contain his emotions. He looked up at Puck and shook his head “I can’t go back to just being friends and I can’t sleep with you again without it meaning something to me.”

"I want it to mean something” Puck murmured taking Kurt’s hands in his. “Because it meant something to me.”

“It did?”

“Kurt it’s always been you.” Puck admitted. His eyes flicked down to Kurt’s lips then back to his eyes “I love you.”

“Really?” he whispered.

“Yeah, I’ve been informed by several people that I’ve unknowingly been in a relationship with you for eighteen months.”

A tear unwillingly escaped, trickling its way down Kurt’s cheek “I love you too.”

Letting out an impatient noise, Puck threaded a hand into Kurt’s hair and pulled him into a kiss that was enthusiastically returned. Throwing his arms around Puck’s neck, Kurt stumbled forward pressing kisses against every inch of skin that he could find. He couldn’t believe this was actually happening, Puck loved him, actually love him.

Pulling back, Puck rested his forehead against Kurt’s “I’ve been thinking of a new position for you.”

“I’m listening” Kurt replied, frowning slightly as Puck stepped back.

“It’s twenty four hours on call, no vacations or sick days, pay is shit but there may be one or two other compensations” he said with a wink.

“Hmmm sounds interesting” he said, trying his best not to show his excitement. Kurt smiled at Puck’s annoyed grunt and glanced out of the window in an attempt to hide it “You brought bumblebee!”

“For gods sake Kurt” Puck exclaimed. “I just proposed to you and you’re more interested in which damn car I drove.”

“So I guess you want an answer then” Kurt murmured, turning away from the window.

Puck rolled his eyes “That would be nice yeah.”

Kurt moved towards him until there was barely an inch between them then pressed a gentle kiss against Puck’s lips “Does that answer your question?”

“I dunno” Puck replied. “Doesn’t feel like a very firm answer.”

Kurt grinned and threaded his fingers through the bottom of Puck’s mohawk, pulling him into a harder kiss “How about now?”

Puck made a humming noise and lazily opened his eyes “Kinda want to hear you say it.”

“I’ll consider the position” Kurt replied, trying his hardest not to laugh at how shocked Puck looked.

“Consider?”

Unable to help himself, Kurt let out a giggle then wrapped his arms around Puck’s neck “Okay I accept it but the benefits better be good.”

Puck buried his face in Kurt’s neck “Promise.”

They stood for a few minutes holding on to each other until Puck let out a loud groan.

“What?” Kurt asked, half afraid to ask.

“The papers are going to have a field day with this.”

Kurt smiled up at him “Once you’ve told my dad the paparazzi won’t seem so bad.”

Laughing as Puck blanched Kurt reached up and patted him on the cheek “Never mind darling.”

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End file.
